Death is but a Game
by BoomShroom
Summary: The apocalypse is nigh, and 15 contestants are chosen by a mysterious being to compete for immortality and an escape from the dying world. The timid Koops is among them, and when he learns that the players must find and kill each other until one remains, he is sure he will die. Now, armed with his unique ability given to him by the Game's host, he must fight to win...or die trying.
1. The Last Night of Peace

**Well, here's my next fic! I have a lot of plans for it and I hope that it will be my longest fic yet. I hope you like twists, treachery, and trouble, because there will be quite a bit of it in this story.**

**Also, I would like to mention that parts of this story are "interactive". At the end of some chapters, I might leave two or more choices for you, the reader, to vote on. You can only vote on one choice, and depending on which choice wins, the story will progress down that route. These choices will greatly impact the very story itself, so when the opportunity presents itself, please remember to leave your choice in a review! **

**I suppose that's everything that needs to be said right now, but if you have any questions, please send me a PM. Now, on with the story!**

**Death is but a Game****  
**

Koops sighed and took a sip of punch from the glass in his hand. He surveyed the scene before him, not sure whether to feel nervous or excited.  
He was at Princess Peach's castle, attending one of her famous parties. She had invited all of her friends and it had turned out to be a major event. Koops recognized some familiar faces, some of which he had been on adventures with previously, good friends of his, and others were strangers to him. He stood apart from the clusters of people who were mingling in the main hall, their voices indistinguishable from one another.  
"You know, you should really go join them."  
Koops jumped and turned to the voice just at his right. He saw the face of his girlfriend, Koopie Koo, staring back at him, a smile spread across her face and a playful twinkle in her eye.  
Koops sighed, his gaze falling to the floor. "Nah, I'm fine here. I don't really know many other people here, and they'd probably just think I'm intruding on their conversations. Plus, what would I talk to them about? I-"  
He felt Koopie place a finger on his lips and he fell silent, realizing that he had been rambling in a slightly shaky voice.  
"It's okay, Koops!" she grinned. "Meeting new people is a scary thing! But you know what? It's fun too!"  
Koops placed his glass on the snack table beside him, his eyes settling on the crowd once more. "Fun? How so?"  
Koopie folded her hands behind her back and leaned on the table, observing the people before them as well. "Well, you get to learn all sorts of things about them! It's a wonderful experience!"  
Koops scratched his arm, not so sure.  
Koopie noticed and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, come on, Koops. It's great! I mean, haven't you ever looked at someone and wondered, 'I wonder where they're going', or, 'What's that person's story?' You see, that's the best part about meeting new people. You get to learn and do a whole bunch of stuff that you'd never know or do if you hadn't met them!"  
'_She's being awfully optimistic._' he thought.  
"What if those people turn around and stab you in the back, though? What if you had been better off just not knowing them?"  
He had meant to keep that comment as a thought, but it had somehow slipped out.  
"Well, then you move on and learn from that encounter. Sure, I'm not saying that that isn't a possibility, but you gotta take chances, you know?"  
Koops sighed and focused on the crowd again, watching the different people smile and laugh and talk. He wanted so desperately to join them, but he felt too timid. He knew that somehow he would mess things up one way or another and they would end up hating him. For a moment, he imagined himself among a group, sharing the same smiles and laughs that they were sharing with one another.  
Koopie dragged him out of his thoughts. When she spoke, she stared into his eyes, and he could see the concern and love for him in them.  
"Koops, you may be hurt and betrayed sometimes, but just know that you won't always feel like that. Because you have other people in this world who love and care about you, and whenever you need them, they'll be there for you."  
Koops gave her a small smile and she returned it. After a brief pause between the two, Koopie grabbed Koops' arm and dragged him away from the table.  
"K-Koopie, wh-what are you doing?" Koops asked his girlfriend, fearing what he would hear next.  
"What do you think? I'm taking you out of your comfort zone! It's about time you make some friends!"  
Koops tried to pull away from her, but it was no use. Koopie Koo was actually stronger than Koops (a fact that embarrassed him greatly) and had locked his wrist in her firm grip. He had no choice but to follow along as she approached a small group of people.  
"Hey guys!" she called to the group. The members turned to her and smiled.  
"Hey Koopie Koo, what's up?" a pink Bob-omb cheerily said.  
"Not much. I just wanted to introduce you all to my boyfriend, Koops!" Koopie pulled Koops further ahead of her so that he was in full view of the group.  
A bluish Boo with two bows on her head smirked at Koops and fanned herself. "What, this guy? Seems a little scrawny, huh? So, this is the kind of guy you like, Koopie?"  
Koops was sweating. He had only just started talking to them and already he was being picked on. Koops opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. His gaze fell to the floor again.  
"Geez, Bow, you're so rude." a woman in a yellow dress said teasingly.  
Koops looked up and the woman looked back at him and beamed, extending her hand. "Don't mind Bow, she's always like that. Hi, I'm Daisy! Glad to meet ya, Koops!"  
Koops smiled and shook her hand, feeling relieved and a little less nervous. Daisy had welcomed him into the group and hadn't shunned him. She seemed genuinely kind and friendly. Perhaps there were some truth to Koopie's words...  
From that point on, Koops conversed with his new friends. He learned the names of everyone there and was welcomed by them as well. There was Bombette, a cheerful girl, Kooper, Bombette's boyfriend and a hyper fellow, Waluigi, a slightly snarky and lanky guy, Bow, a rich and elegant Boo, and Toad, a friendly and good-natured person.  
Koops wasn't sure how long he had spent talking with them, but by the time many jokes and stories had been shared, he found that most of the partygoers had relocated to the gardens where some fire works were to be set off.  
"Hey, Koops, let's go check out the fire works!" Koopie said.  
Koops nodded and turned to his new friends. "You guys wanna come too?"  
Bombette smiled apologetically as she shook an unconscious Kooper who had passed out on the floor with a drink in his hand. "Sorry, but I gotta wake this lazy lug up. He spends all his energy partying it up at the beginning and passes out later into the night."  
Everyone else laughed and had to decline as well. Bow had 'some business that needed to be taken care of', Daisy wanted to meet up with her boyfriend Luigi, Toad needed to find his girlfriend Toadette, and Waluigi just didn't feel like going.  
"Ok, you're loss!" Koopie taunted. Then she took Koops' hand and they made their way to the gardens.  
Koops had a smile that stretched all the way across his face the entire way. Thanks to Koopie, he had made new friends and had a great time. He felt much happier and just couldn't stop grinning.  
"Someone's happy." Koopie said, noticing her boyfriend's expression. "Didn't I tell you making new friends is a great experience?"  
"You bet! I almost didn't want to leave them!"  
Koopie chuckled and the two walked through the doors and out into the garden. The fireworks had already started, and they stared upwards as the bright bursts of color illuminated the night sky.  
After a while, Koopie turned to Koops.  
"Hey Koops, come to the library with me."  
He glanced at her face, now glowing red from a firework's flash. "The library? Why?"  
She flashed him a quick grin and then took off, not waiting for him.  
Koops jogged inside and made his way down the almost deserted halls, wondering what Koopie was up to.  
As he turned a corner, Koops bumped into someone else.  
"S-sorry!" he apologized. He glanced at who he had run into.  
She was a Boo, most likely in her later teens. She was snowy white and had coal black eyes. She was wearing headphones and had a blank expression on her face. She stared at Koops as if waiting for him to say something.  
"S-so," Koops started, attempting to make the situation less uncomfortable. "Enjoying the party?"  
"Actually, I was just leaving." the girl said in a monotone voice. She floated past him and down the hall. He watched her go, thinking she was rather odd. He noticed that he also hadn't seen her previously during the party. Then he remembered Koopie.  
Koops walked down the hall again, but was soon stopped by a familiar voice.  
"Koops!" Mario called out, waving to him from down the hall. His other arm was wrapped around Princess Peach's shoulder.  
"Oh, hey Mario." Koops grinned. "Hello Princess."  
Peach giggled and waved her hand dismissively. "Please, there's no need for titles. Just call me Peach, you're my friend after all."  
Koops nodded and smiled sheepishly. Mario turned to him and asked, "So, you enjoying the party?"  
"Y-yeah, it's been really fun. Thanks for inviting me, by the way, Pr-I mean, Peach."  
Mario's expression hardened for a moment and he looked at Koops seriously. "By the way, you haven't seen any suspicious types here, have you? Just between us, we believe that someone might have snuck in here."  
Koops nodded and pointed back the way he had come. "Um, yeah, I think I saw someone a bit suspicious back there. I might be wrong, but she did seem a bit strange. A white Boo with headphones."  
Peach nodded to Mario. "Yes, I saw her earlier and had my eye on her. She seemed to be inspecting everything about the castle rather than enjoying the party. Perhaps she was a robber?"  
Mario shook his head. "Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions. We'll just talk to her first before we call her a thief." Mario turned to Koops again, nodding in appreciation. "Thanks for your help. Also, I'd appreciate it if you could keep this just between us. There's no need worrying the other guests with matters like this."  
Koops nodded and Mario and Peach said their farewells, strolling down the hall in the direction Koops had directed them.  
Koops continued down the hall until he came to the library. It was large and had tons of bookcases. A second level that looked quite similar to the first was located above him.  
"Koopie?" Koops called out, slowly stepping into the library.  
He didn't see her, and there were no other sounds except the faint chatter and booms that were emanating from the gardens.  
Koops felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck as if something was warning him that he was about to be ambushed. He spun around to see that Koopie was standing there. Her arms were raised as if she had been prepared to grab Koops' shoulders and scare him, but they dropped to her sides in disappointment when he saw her.  
"Geez, I can never sneak up on you, can I?" she pouted. Koops smiled and shrugged.  
Koopie looked around as if judging her surroundings. Finally, she said, "Hey, Koops, how about we play hide and seek?"  
He looked at her skeptically. "Hide and seek?"  
"Yeah! Don't you remember how we always used to play that as kids? You were always the best at hiding."  
Koops nodded, thinking back to the old days when they played the game as children. He was incredibly good at hiding, often causing Koopie to give up on searching for him and call him back out.  
"Okay then." Koops agreed.  
"Great! You can hide first, and I'll count! Ready?"  
Koops nodded and Koopie closed her eyes and put her head against a bookcase. She began to countdown from ten and Koops ran to his hiding spot. He stealthily climbed a bookcase and looked over the edge, peering down at Koopie as she finished counting. She looked around and under things, tapping her chin as she pondered where he was hiding.  
After a while, Koopie gave up.  
"Alright Koops, you win. Come on out."  
Koops was about to hop down and expose himself, but a devious plan formed in his head. He decided to sneak up on Koopie just as she had tried to do to him.  
He silently jumped down from his position and made his way to the end of the bookcase, keeping his body low to the ground and his footsteps silent. He leaned around the corner to make sure that Koopie's back was turned, and, when the moment was right, he jumped out and caught her shoulders.  
"Gotcha!" he cried and she shrieked in surprise. He couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his girlfriend's face.  
"That's not funny, Koops!" she folded her arms. "You really scared me!"  
Koops kept laughing and eventually Koopie did as well.  
They spun in surprise when they heard the sound of books falling. A large pile had toppled over and Rosalina was sprawled on top if them.  
"My apologies." she muttered sheepishly. "I didn't want to disturb you two, so I was trying to sneak out quietly."  
"That's ok. Are you alright? Here, let me help you." Koopie offered.  
Koopie and Koops helped Rosalina gather her books and she thanked them.  
"Why are you in here?" Koopie asked her. "The party is outside."  
"Oh, I was just taking some time to search for a book that I was curious about. Peach said it would be alright for me to borrow some, so I just came here for a few."  
Koops glanced at the cover of one of the books in her arms. It looked like some sort of medical book.  
She noticed his gaze and quickly tucked the book under her arm. "Well, I'll see you two later, then."  
With that, Rosalina left the couple alone.  
"Hmm, do you think she was acting a bit odd?" Koopie asked, staring after her.  
Koops shrugged. He was more interested as to why she had a medical book, but he could only link it to one thing.  
Recently, a mysterious virus had invaded the Mushroom Kingdom. It was incurable and incapacitated victims, leaving them bedridden with a high fever, uncontrollable vomiting, violent tendencies, and a few other symptoms. It was quickly becoming a major threat, and people were panicking. The government was trying to reassure the people, but they weren't doing such a good job of it. Nevertheless, they did their best to find a cure and seek aid. In fact, the real reason behind Princess Peach's party was to invite and meet with some influential people in and around the kingdom, attempting to get help from whoever she could.  
Koops was dragged out of his thoughts as Koopie pushed him against a bookcase, not hard, but playfully.  
"Still, that wasn't nice." she teased. "You really freaked me out."  
He smiled and gave her a gentle shove back. "Oh yeah? And what about you? You tried to sneak up on me earlier."  
"Well, yeah, but..." Koopie tried to come up with an excuse, but failed. Instead, she gave Koops another push, and he returned it. They eventually got into a small shoving match, both of them giggling lightheartedly, but both trying to win at the same time.  
Soon, Koops pinned Koopie to a bookcase. She struggled against him, but he had her arms firmly locked against the bookcase and over her head.  
She stopped and stared into his eyes, and he quickly felt his heart beat faster. She closed her eyes and the ends of her lips twitched upwards ever so slightly. She seemed to be expecting something, something that Koops was so nervous about delivering.  
He felt something hard bounce off the back of his head and he grimaced in pain. Whirling around, he spotted his friends looking at them over the railing on the second floor.  
"Come on, man!" Kooper, the book hurler, shouted. "Kiss her!"  
Luigi, who was standing with his arm wrapped around Daisy, chuckled and shook his head at Kooper's words. "Well, he probably would have, if you hadn't ruined the moment."  
Kooper grinned mischievously at the green clad man and shrugged. "Hey, I guess I'm just good at messing things up! It's what I do best!"  
The others chuckled and Koopie stepped forward, calling up to her friends. "Hey, how about we meet you guys back in the main hall? We'll only be a moment."  
"Sure, we'll see you soon." Toad said, motioning for his friends to follow him.  
"Have fun you lovebirds!" Bombette called back to them and followed the group to the exit.  
Koops blushed and rubbed the back of his head. Koopie giggled and said, "Well, it looks like our alone time is over, huh Koops?"  
"Seems like it."  
"Well, I had fun. I always like seeing you really be yourself at times like this." She brought her lips to his cheek and gave him a quick kiss that sent his heart soaring. Then she took his hand. "Now, let's go see our friends, huh?"  
Koops grinned and nodded, and they strolled out of the library together.

**Sorry if this chapter was really slow and uninteresting, but it's supposed to set up everything that is to come. Next chapter will introduce the Game, so hopefully it will be a bit more interesting.**


	2. Let the Games Begin

**Well, here's chapter 2. Enjoy!**

**Death is but a Game**

Koops awoke to the sound of whirring and metal sliding against metal.  
The Koopa rose into a sitting position and looked around him, very confused. It was completely dark except for a small circle of light directly above him.  
'Where am I?' he thought. 'What's going on?'  
Panicking, Koops jumped up and ran around. He heard the sound of his footsteps pounding against a metal surface reverberate off the walls.  
Koops felt himself run into something hard and solid. He reached his hand out to feel the object. Pressing his palm against it's surface, he felt it slide against his skin. The smooth surface dragged his hand downwards as if he had placed his hand on a moving treadmill.  
"Hello!?" Koops called out, his voice cracking in fear. It was dark, he was confused, and the walls were moving. He didn't understand how he had gotten here and nobody else was around. Was this some sort of dream? No, the impact of running into the wall felt real enough.  
He looked up and saw that the circle of light had grown larger. He realized that he must be in some sort of vertical tunnel, riding an elevator up to where the light was.  
Koops could do nothing but wait and wonder what was happening and what his fate would be once he reached the light.  
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the elevator reached the light, and he had to shield his eyes as they adjusted to the brightness.  
The place seemed to be floating in a purplish void. He was standing on a large metal circle, the elevator that had taken him to this strange place. It was one of fifteen that formed a giant ring, each circle connected to a larger platform in the center of the ring.  
A mannequin stood on each circle. They all looked exactly alike, all the same height and width, all the same bland, beige color. However, they moved like living beings, their heads swiveling around to take in the strange sight around them.  
"What's going on?" said the voice of a female on the circle to Koops' right. The voice seemed to be coming from the mannequin. "Where am I?"  
"What are you?" said a male sounding mannequin close to the first mannequin. " Some kind of living mannequin? What's going on? Is this a dream?"  
The din of voices grew as the other mannequins asked what was going on or where they were. Nobody seemed to have an answer.  
Koops refrained from speaking, mostly because he didn't know what to say. He was in a strange place for who knows what purpose and nobody knew why. Was it all a dream? Would he wake up soon?  
Suddenly, a bright light flashed and a figure appeared on the central platform.  
He was a human man, most likely in his early thirties. He wore a large brown trench coat and dark pants. Everything about his appearance seemed average. Short black hair, not too tall or short, blue eyes. But there was some sort of powerful aura about him, something unseen, but undeniably felt. He seemed to possess some sort of immense power that was hidden under his average appearance.  
He extended his arms outward in a welcoming manner. "Greetings, players! I am your gracious host, the Fugitive. I'm sure you are all wondering why you are here and what is happening. I assure you, I will explain everything."  
"What the hell is this? Is this all a dream?" one of the mannequins asked.  
The Fugitive shook his head. "No, this is all real. What I am about to tell you is all too real, so I suggest you listen well."  
"Wait, wait, wait," another voice chimed in. "You dump me here and expect me to just go along with whatever you say? Screw you, dude! This is all just some sort of dream. It has to be!"  
The Fugitive's brow furrowed slightly and he raised his hand and brought it down. The mannequin that had spoken was forcefully thrown to the ground by an unseen force.  
"Did that feel real enough?" he asked.  
"Wh...who are you?" another mannequin asked.  
The Fugitive smiled. "I am but one who watches, one who observes you mortals and your triumphs and follies. Now, shall I explain why you are all here?"  
No one else made a comment. The mannequin that had been knocked down slowly got to his feet again and Koops could hear him muttering something under his breath.  
Once the Fugitive had complete silence, he began his speech. "I'll be frank with all of you. The apocalypse is nigh. Very soon, your world will crumble and tear apart at the seams. Millions will die and there will be no hope of survival for those who escape the initial impact of the calamity. There have already been signs of this cataclysm approaching. I'm sure all of you have heard about the incurable disease plaguing the Mushroom Kingdom. That is the calamity that will destroy the world. Civilization will fall to ruin as the virus devours it's victims and the rest of the planet. There is no escape for the mortals. That's why I have chosen you all as candidates to compete for immortality."  
The Fugitive paused, allowing the fifteen around him to process what he had said. There were some murmurs, but everyone was puzzled.  
Koops' head was spinning. The apocalypse? Immortality? What was this guy talking about?  
Koops snapped back to attention as the Fugitive began to speak again.  
"You will all compete in a game I have devised, whether you want to or not. The rules are simple: identify and kill every other player. The last one standing receives the gift of immortality and will be saved from the apocalypse and reside in my dimension. Also, they will be granted one wish. The only restrictions as to what you cannot wish for if you win is for the apocalypse not to happen, to go back or forward in time, directly save mortals from the apocalypse, or wish a player who died in the contest back to life. Any questions so far?"  
Nobody uttered a sound. Koops felt as if he would faint. He had heard the words clearly, but he didn't want to believe them. Killing? Last one standing? This had to be a dream. Just a dream, just a dream...  
"Of course, for this meeting, I've concealed each of your identities by masking you all as identical mannequins. I wouldn't want you all to identify each other before the game has even started."  
This statement caused many of the mannequins to look around, studying the others, each curious as to who another really was.  
"Now, there is something I should tell you about. There will be an area set up at the top of Mushroom Skyscraper known as the Servant's Quarters. If ever a player decides to, they can either willingly submit themselves to this place or force another player into it. Whoever enters this zone will remain there for the remainder of the game. Once a victor has been decided, the servants will gain immortality as well, but will be forever in servitude of the victor. Only a max of three players may be in the Servant's Quarters for the game."  
"You will also all receive special, individual powers that will assist you in the game. How you choose to use them ultimately lies with you."  
He rose his hand and a white light blinded them.  
Koops felt a burning sensation on the back of his left hand. He looked there to find a symbol glowing there, emanating a golden light.  
'What is this?' he thought to himself, examining the tattoo-like didn't have time to ponder it, however, as the Fugitive continued.  
"Your powers are unique to you alone. Using your powers should be as instinctive as breathing, I trust you'll find. Just refrain from using it too often at one time as it will cause exhaustion."  
"This is insane!" someone, a male, finally spoke out. "You're sick! Telling us to kill each other to see who survives? Do you really think this is just some kind of game?"  
The Fugitive smiled at the person. "Why, of course I do. You see, death is but a game, and you are it's players. The winners are the one's who are the strongest, the one's who can adapt and survive. The weak join the ranks of the dead, a just position for those who can't learn how to survive. Perhaps you might find yourself among them early on."  
This shut the mannequin up. He stepped back quietly, and, although Koops couldn't see his face, he could tell that it must be contorted in rage, fear, and disgust.  
"The game will begin once you return to your own world." the Fugitive said. "Remember that you must locate and kill the other players. You may use your unique powers to aid you, and, if you so wish, you may submit yourself or can force someone into the Servant's Quarters, where they will be eternally in servitude of the winner, and live a miserable, endless existence. The winner will be granted immortality and live in my realm, where they will live like a king. In addition, they will be granted one wish, as long as it does not violate one of the terms. These are the rules. And now, the Game begins. I wish the best of luck to you all, and know that I will be watching you all and observing your progress."  
Koops had so many questions to ask. Why him? Why did he have to be a player in this twisted game? Was the Fugitive the cause of the disease? Why would he do such a thing then? How could he use his newfound power? And what about his old life? Would he have to leave behind his friends and family? Would he have to leave behind Koopie...?  
He tried to ask these questions, but he felt a lump in his throat. This was all just too much. He couldn't take it. He began to cry silently as the other 'players' talked.  
"Hmm, this seems like it'll be fun." a female voice said. "I can't wait to start!"  
"While it does seem horribly disgusting, I must agree." another female voice said. "It is a game of wits and strategy as well as a game of cutthroat violence. This should be interesting."  
A male spoke up. "Ha! Well I know that I'm gonna win! There's no way I'm letting you losers win!"  
"We'll see about that." another male snapped back. "If you act so arrogant, I guarantee you'll be the first one dead."  
Shouts and declarations swearing victory rose out from most, and Koops couldn't believe his ears. Everyone was excited to play. They were all eager to plan, to fight, to kill. Their voices suddenly sounded venomous and demonic to him, and he wanted nothing more than for those psychopaths to shut up, to stop condoning this horrible game.  
Apparently, Koops wasn't the only one thinking like this. The one who had spoken out against the game before spoke out again.  
"You're all sick! I can't believe that you all want to play this disgusting game! Have you no morals? Open your eyes! This is a game of death! The Fugitive is forcing us to kill each other like wild, senseless animals! And you're all okay with that!?"  
A male snorted. "Well, yeah. It seems like you're the only wimp who doesn't wanna play."  
There were a few chuckles at this and the previous voice growled. "Of course I don't want to! This is horrible! All of you are horrible! Killing each other like it's some kind of-"  
"Oh, shut up. You're such a killjoy!"  
"Yeah, you're in this too whether you like it or not, so I suggest you just accept it."  
"She's right. There's no escaping now."  
"Hmm, I think I'll single out that pacifistic wimp first. I think he'll be easy pickings."  
"Indeed. I can't wait to hear him squeal and beg for his life right before I stick him!"  
"Haha! Sound like fun! I'll remember your voice, wimp!"  
Even though the words were not directed at him, Koops felt as if he was about to throw up. They sounded like monsters, all of them. The pacifist was now silent and backed away as far as he could be from the others, their insults and cries for his blood still being hurled at him. Koops was glad he hadn't spoken out.  
The Fugitive smiled and addressed all fifteen players. "Now, since I believe you all know the rules and have become quite aquatinted with one another, it's time to begin the Game. I'll return you all to your world. Good luck, and may the best player win."  
The elevators began to descend again, and Koops fell to the floor, suddenly overcome with weariness. He felt his heavy eyelids close, but his mind raced with thoughts just before he fell unconscious. He thought about his life, his friends, his family, Koopie. Then he pictured them all falling away from him, replaced with a bloodstained, ruined city, Mushroom City, the battlefield for the Game.  
The voices of the other players buzzed in his head, each calling out for a chance to murder Koops in some gruesome fashion.  
_'How am I going to survive this?'_ was the last thought that ran through his head before he passed out.

**Let the games begin. So, who do you think some of the contestants are? Are you curious about their powers? Just how will Koops survive this game of death? As to that last one, you readers will have a say in it. When I present you with a choice, please vote on one so I can get to producing the next chapter ASAP. I already know how to change the story according to each choice, so all I will need is your votes. Thanks for reading, and I'll have the next chapter out soon…hopefully.**


	3. A New Power

**Death is but a Game****  
**

Koops awoke to the sun shining through his window and blinding him.

He groaned and rubbed his eyes, remembering the strange nightmare he had experienced.

He sat up. A nightmare. Yes, that's what it was. It hadn't happened. There was no game, no Fugitive, no malicious voices chanting for death. It had all just been a bad dream.

He sighed in relief and got out of bed. He walked downstairs to his kitchen and reached into a cabinet, withdrawing a box of cereal.

_'What a weird dream, though.'_ Koops thought as he retrieved the milk from the fridge. _'But I guess that explains the voices. Some of them sounded really...familiar...like I had heard them before…'_

Koops sat down at the table and unscrewed the cap on the gallon of milk. He raised it and began to pour the liquid into the bowl, but he suddenly dropped it when he saw something on the back of his hand, causing the milk to spill over the table.

On the back of his left hand was a black tattoo. It appeared to be a man running with a large sack slung over his shoulder. It was the same tattoo that he had received in his dream.

The mark of the Thief. He knew what it was as well as he knew his own name, but he didn't know how. His hand began to shake, and he held it away from him as if it was venomous snake.

'_No...'_ he thought. _'That was all a dream. It can't be real. It's impossible...'_

He heard the doorbell ring and he whirled around as if an alarm had suddenly gone off. For a brief moment, he thought that the owner of one of the murderous voices from his dream had arrived to take his life. He shook his head, dismissing it. No, this was some kind of prank, and obviously the prankster was here to see his reaction.

Koops walked towards the front door, still slightly shaken. He tripped over himself and fell to the floor. When he stood up again, his leg was aching from the initial impact. He looked at the front door and imagined himself standing before it. Instantly, he was.

Koops stumbled backwards, baffled. He glanced at the mark on his hand, noticing that a golden glow was fading from it.

How had he done that, instantly teleport from his position to the door? Was it the power of that tattoo? Did it mean that...everything was real?

The doorbell rang again and he was dragged out of his thoughts. He flung the door open to see Koopie Koo standing there.

"Hey Koops! What's up?" she asked cheerfully. "Sorry for stopping by so early, but I was thinking that we could eat breakfast together. Can I come in?"

Koops hurriedly stuffed his hand into the pocket of his hoodie and nodded. "Y-yeah, sure, come in."

She followed him back inside, Koops' mind and heart racing against each other, their owner not sure which was faster. How had he done that? Should he tell Koopie? Would she understand?

"Koops, this is such a mess!" Koopie's voice brought Koops back to reality. He saw her standing in front of the puddle of milk on the table, a frown evident on her face. She grabbed some paper towels and began to clean it up, nagging Koops the whole while. "Honestly, you're so klutzy sometimes..."

After the mess had been cleaned, the two sat down for a light, simple breakfast.

Koops was still debating over whether to tell Koopie about his dream...if he could call it that. It seemed so real, and considering his new teleportation power, it proved it had been real.

Koopie noticed him staring down at his food, not eating. "Hey, Koops, what's wrong? Do you feel alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Koopie. It's just...if you were forced to do kill people in order to keep them from killing you...what would you do?"

Koopie stared at him oddly for a moment. He stuffed his hand deeper into his pocket.

"Well, that's sort of a weird question. I want to say I wouldn't do it, that killing is wrong and should never be accepted, but now that I think about it...I'm not so sure. When someone's trying to kill you, nothing else matters but survival. Instinct just kicks in. What I'm trying to say is, even though I know it would be wrong, I guess I would fight back."

Koops looked away from her. He felt even worse after hearing her answer.

Koopie reached across the table and nudged him, a wide grin stretching across her face. "Hey, come on! It's not like anything like that would ever happen, right? What brought on the strange question anyway?"

Koops shook his head. "It's nothing. Just a bad dream I had."

7Z7Z7Z7

Once they had finished eating, Koopie had to leave for an important meeting. She said goodbye, promising to meet up with Koops again later.  
Koops sat at the kitchen table, staring at the tattoo on the back of his hand. The room was silent except for the ticking of the wall clock.

Koops nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard his phone ring. Shaking, he answered it.

"Hello?"

"Yo, Koops! What's up, man!"

Koops smiled at the sound of Kooper's voice, almost forgetting his worries. "Not much. You?"

"Tons of crap, bro! It seems that wherever I go, coolness is bound to follow!" The two chuckled, then Kooper continued. "So listen man, Bombette, Toad, Bow, and I are hanging out at my place. Wanna come?"

Koops felt elated. The worries of the Game were blown out of his mind. Koops couldn't respond fast enough. "Of course! What time?"

"Probably around three. Me and Bombette share a place over on Mushroom Boulevard."

"Great! I'll be there."

"All right! See ya later, brah!"

Koops hung up and sighed in happiness. He glanced out the window as a beam of sunlight shined through the clouds and illuminated the room. He decided that he would forget about the Game. He couldn't deny that it was real, but nobody knew that he was a player. If he were to just lay low, the whole thing would blow over and he would get through just fine.

_'At least until the apocalypse.' _Koops ignored the involuntary thought. He then turned his attention back to his hand, almost smiling. He didn't want to participate in the Game, but that didn't mean he didn't have to use his new found power.

Koops looked to his right and imagined himself standing by his bookshelf. The next moment, he was there. He turned around and imagined himself at the top of the stairs. He was instantly transported there. By now, Koops was smirking victoriously, thinking about all of the uses he could get out of this power.

Next, he imagined himself standing in an adjacent room. However, he was not teleported to the destination he wished. Koops made a mental note that the power only worked if he could see his destination from his current spot and it wasn't obstructed. Also, that it only worked for short distances.  
Nevertheless, Koops enjoyed popping from one spot to the next as he practiced perfecting his power.

After another few teleports, he felt himself growing tired. He remembered what the Fugitive said about using his powers too much at one time, how it would drain his energy. Koops lay down on his couch and rested. After a while, he felt better.

Koops sat up and checked the clock. There was still a few hours left before he could head out. Koops grinned and went back to practicing and experimenting with his power, wishing that he could share his new ability with someone.

**Sort of a short, uneventful chapter, but next chapter will start to pick up, trust me. Until then, please review and tell me what you think so far!**


	4. Everything Falls Apart

**Death is but a Game**

"Hi Koops! How are you?"  
Koops smiled at Bombette who had opened the door to her home. "I'm great. You?"  
"Awesome. Well, come on in!"  
Koops followed her inside, grinning the whole way. He was so excited to hang out with his friends that he nearly forgot about the Game.  
When he entered the living room, he saw Bow, Toad, and Kooper there.  
Kooper turned to him and his face erupted into a smile. "All right! Koops is here! Now it's a party!"  
Koops waved to him and the others as they greeted him.  
Bow gave him an odd look and pointed to his hand. "What's with the glove?"  
"Oh, I, uh, cut my hand while chopping vegetables earlier. It looks really nasty, so I wanted to cover it up."  
Toad stared at him in a way he couldn't quite determine. It was either a concerned look, or a suspicious glance. "Really? Do you mind if I take a look at it? I may have something I can use to help it."  
Koops put his hand in his pocket, smiling sheepishly. He felt a drop of sweat run down the back of his neck. "N-no, it's fine, really. I'll just let it heal."  
Toad stared at him for a moment before shrugging. "All right, suit yourself. So, what movie are we watching?"  
Kooper grinned at him, holding up a pair of DVD cases. "The Sarasaland Axe Massacre, part one and two! Hold on to your lunches, kids, 'cause I hear this ride's pretty gory!"  
Bombette squeaked and Bow rolled her eyes, then, in two very distinctly different tones of voice, they both asked, "Do we really have to watch that?"  
"Yeah! As long as it's okay with a majority of us."  
"I say we watch it." Toad grinned.  
"I'm fine with it." Koops nodded.  
"Haha! Three to two! Girls lose!" The girls sighed in resignation and Koops and Bombette took their positions on the couch, Kooper cackling in delight as he popped the first movie in.  
The party of five then enjoyed the horror flick until it ended and they were prompted to put the next DVD in. As Kooper rose to put in the next DVD and Bombette and Toad talked about their favorite scenes, Bow addressed Koops, waving her glass at him.  
"Would you go to the kitchen and get me a drink? I'd be so grateful."  
By her tone, it sounded more like a command. He sighed and rolled his eyes, but nevertheless rose and started for the kitchen.  
Once he had gotten her drink, he made his way back. When he was in the doorway, he smirked, an idea forming. Nobody was watching him. Time for a little bit of fun.  
He teleported to the very edge of the couch so his hand was holding the glass just in front of Bow's face. She jumped, startled, and nearly knocked the glass out of his hand. She glared up at him, and he returned it with a small smile. "Your drink, my lady?"  
She snatched the glass from his grip. "You should be more careful. Next time you thrust something right in front of my face, I might just smack it away."  
"All right guys, it's starting!" Kooper called to his friends as he leaped back onto the couch. "Let's watch!"

7Z7Z7Z7

"Man, that was great!" Toad said. "I'm glad we watched it."  
"I'm not." Bombette moaned. "That was really scary! I think I'm gonna have nightmares for weeks."  
They all laughed and Koops looked out the window, spotting a basketball hoop outside.  
"So, whaddaya guys wanna do now?" Kooper asked.  
"How about some basketball?"  
Koops was surprised at his own suggestion, but after a bit of thought, he was excited to play. He wasn't much of an athlete, but maybe his new power could come in handy if he used it carefully...  
Kooper grinned, pumping a fist into the air. "Yeah, all right! Totally something I can smoke you guys at!"  
Bombette nodded, agreeing with her boyfriend, and Toad said, "Sure, why not?"  
Bow sighed and shook her head. "I'm opposed to the idea, but I suppose I'm outnumbered. I guess I'll play."  
Kooper sprang up and onto his feet, sprinting as fast as he could out the back door. "Sweet! I'm so gonna win!"  
The others followed him, and, once outside, Kooper grabbed the basketball and decided that he and Koops would face off against Toad, Bow, and Bombette.  
"Wait, that's three versus two." Toad pointed out. "Wouldn't that be a little unfair?"  
Kooper grinned playfully. "Well two thirds of your team is made up of chicks, so it'll be just like we're playing two on two!"  
"You did NOT just say that!" Bow shouted, reaching out to throttle the Koopa.  
Kooper chuckled, spinning the basketball on his finger. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Now let's play!"  
Koops tried his best to help his teammate out, but he lacked the stamina to stay in the game. He felt as if he was dragging Kooper down, but the blue shelled Koopa didn't show any sign of annoyance in Koops' ability, even though they were losing by a wide margin. He only smiled at his friend and said, "Hey, don't worry! We can catch up!"  
Still, Koops felt disappointed that he couldn't truly help his friend. However, an opportunity to score a point presented itself to Koops. An opportunity that required a bit of assistance, that is.  
He was behind the others, panting as he tried to catch up to Bombette as she dribbled the ball towards the hoop, prepared to score another point. He bent over, his hand on his knees, watching as she got into position to throw the ball. He saw the expression on Kooper's face, already resigned to losing another shot at a point. Without a second thought, Koops teleported just behind Bombette and snatched the ball away. Then he teleported forward slightly, not enough to make his sudden transport obvious, but enough to edge him closer to the hoop. Miraculously, when he threw it, it fell into the hoop, his opponents too stunned to register what had happened to stop it.  
Kooper grinned when he realized their team had gained a point. He jumped and pumped his fist in the air. "All right, way to go, bro! That was awesome!"  
Koops grinned sheepishly and his opponents congratulated him as well, surprised that he had been able to pull off such a feat.  
Before they continued with the game, however, Koops caught Bow's eye for a moment. There was a glint of suspicion in them, and panic surged through him like a lightning bolt. Did she know what he had done? Was she a participant in the Game? Was she going to kill him?  
However, her gaze fell from him and Koops nearly sighed in relief. He was starting to get a little paranoid. But perhaps Bow was hiding something...  
After fifteen more minutes, the game ended, with the two Koopas losing by a landslide.  
Kooper fell on his back, arms splayed out and sweat pouring down his face. "Whew! That was tough. But I'll win next time!"  
Toad chuckled, helping his friend up. "Sure, whatever you say."  
Bombette looked up at the sky. "Wow, the sun's already setting. Today's been fun, huh?"  
Bow nodded. "Yes, but I suppose I should be heading home now. I promised Bootler I wouldn't be out too late. He gets quite...flustered when I'm not punctual."  
"Yeah, I should get going too." Toad said. Koops, reluctantly, agreed.  
"Aw man." Kooper whined.  
"Let us at least walk you guys home." Bombette said. Kooper gave her a look as if he really didn't want to, but she quickly shot it down with a glare.  
"Uh, yeah. We'd be delighted to..."  
With that, the group gathered their various belongings and went around to the front of the house to the sidewalk, beginning their long trek to Toad's house, the closest home to their position.  
As they walked, Koops sighed, mostly in relief. Just that morning, he had been so scared, mortally frightened, that he would die, become a victim in the horrible Game he had been forced into. Now he was, for the most part, less paranoid, more relaxed. He felt as if he could survive by just fading into the background, laying low and staying unnoticed. After all, he had lived his whole life that way. What was so different now?  
Kooper laughed at a joke Toad told, then looked ahead, his expression turning stony. Without looking at anyone else, he said, "I think we're being followed."  
Koops couldn't help but tense up a bit.  
"What? Who's following us?" Bombette asked.  
Kooper jerked his head to the left slightly, still looking straight ahead. "Those two."  
Koops glanced to where he had directed. Two figures were walking on the other side of the sidewalk, a Goomba and a Toad. Koops wasn't sure why Kooper thought they were following them. They seemed normal enough. Although, something about their expressions did seem a bit...odd. Then he caught sight of a glint of silver. They changed direction, walking across the street towards the group.  
"Looks like they're coming this way." Toad commented. "Wait, is that...do they have knives!?"  
"A-are they gonna mug us!?" Bombette squeaked.  
"Why would they do that?" Bow hissed. "There's five of us and two of them. They must be crazy."  
The two figures were now sprinting towards the party. Bombette shrieked, fumbling with her phone to call the cops.  
"Wh-what do we do?" Koops panicked.  
Kooper cursed under his breath and looked around wildly. To their right there was a construction site for a new office building, abandoned for the day. He pointed to it. "Quick! Let's try to lose them in there!"  
The party of five bolted into the construction site. Koops glanced back to see the two figures following behind, weapons drawn.  
_'They aren't other players, are they?'_ Koops worried. If so, how had they found him? Were they really going to kill him?  
"Damn, they're still after us." Kooper swore. "Let's split up! You guys go that way, Koops and I will go this way."  
Before anyone could argue, Kooper yanked Koops away and whisked him towards an elevator. Once they had made it inside, Kooper lifted the lever to take them higher.  
"We should be safer up here." he told his friend. Koops tapped his shoulder and directed his attention to something beneath them. Kooper's eyes widened. "No effing way..."  
The Toad had followed them and was climbing the metal girders at a rapid pace. She was wearing black gloves with needle-like spikes sticking out of the fingertips. They allowed her to dig her fingertips into the metal and climb after them.  
"Damn, what kind of common crook goes this far? How is that even possible?" Kooper said in disbelief.  
Koops wanted to tell him that she wasn't just a simple criminal, that she was a player in a twisted game of death, and that she had somehow found him, that she was going to stop at nothing to kill him. But he couldn't. There was no way Kooper would believe him.  
The elevator stopped and Kooper ran out, Koops following close behind. The floor they were on was slightly finished, with empty rooms already constructed, but no windows or walls to keep them from falling off the side of the building.  
Koops heard the sound of footsteps behind him and he knew that the Toad had caught up to them. Kooper rounded a corner and yanked the timid Koopa into a tiny, empty room.  
He signaled for Koops to be quiet. Koops tried to control his breathing, keeping it as shallow and silent as he could. His heart was threatening to beat so fast that it was burst, partly from the running he had just done, and partly from fear.  
_'She found me. I'm finished. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die...'_ His thoughts spiraled into mortal terror and he curled up into a ball in the corner. He couldn't avoid the Game after all.  
"I think she's gone." Kooper whispered to him, peeking out the ajar door. After another moment, he stepped out and checked for himself, confirming that she had left. Then he leaned on the wall, placing a hand over his racing heart. "Damn, this is crazy. I never thought we'd randomly get chased by some psycho."  
"Y-yeah..." Koops responded. He wanted to agree, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he always knew that he would be found and hunted one way or another.  
Koops jumped at the sound of his phone ringing. He checked it to see that Bow was calling him.  
"H-hello?" he answered in a shaky voice.  
"Koops! Where are you? Bombette's gone crazy!"  
"What? What are you talking about?"  
"She stabbed Toad! We were hiding from the Goomba when she suddenly took out a knife and started stabbing him! I started running away and now she's after me!"  
"What!? No way! Why would she do that?"  
"How the hell should I know!? But Toad...I think he's dead!"  
There was a loud crash on the other end of the phone and Bow swore.  
"Dammit, what's gotten into her?! She didn't look like she wanted to do it. What the hell is happening!?"  
There was another crash and Koops heard Bow scream. There were sounds of a struggle on the other end as Bow shouted for help.  
Koops dropped his phone. Bombette must be a player. However, she mistook Bow for a player as well. But she had guessed incorrectly. Koops should be in Bow's position. It was his fault if she died.  
"What is it? Was it one of the others? Are they okay? Is Bombette okay!?"  
Koops was overwhelmed by Kooper's flurry of questions. His head was spinning, but he still managed to answer. "No, I don't know why, but Bombette stabbed Toad and started chasing Bow! We have to help!"  
Koops expected Kooper to exclaim something, either shock or disbelief that his girlfriend would do such a thing. Instead, he only nodded solemnly and grabbed a nearby sledgehammer from a box of construction equipment.  
Koops was shocked. "Are you really going to hit her with that?! You could kill her!"  
"It's not for her."  
Kooper turned to Koops, and he could see the sadness in his eyes. Instantly, Koops pieced everything together.  
"No...no, no, no, you're working with her? You're...a player?"  
Kooper smiled sadly. "I'm sorry Koops. I didn't want it to be this way. When I figured out you were a player too, I had serious thoughts about going back on my plan. But I can't now."  
He pulled his neckerchief away to reveal a tattoo. It displayed a muscular man lifting a large boulder over his head. "I guess we all have these special tattoos, huh? Mine is the mark of the Hero. This allows me to wield strength far superior to anything alive."  
Koops' heart sank. This couldn't be true. This had to be a dream, or a prank. Not his friends. This couldn't be happening.  
"Bombette and I are working together," Kooper confirmed. "but she isn't a player. We're working together to win this Game so we can achieve our dream. We will wish for a world without pain or suffering, a world just for the two of us. But to do that, we have to kill those who stand in our way. I really am sorry Koops."  
Koops shook his head and backed away from his former friend. He felt as if he was about to faint. But he had to find a way out of this. He had to survive.  
"How...did you plan this? How did you know I was a player?"  
"Well, this was all a fortunate accident for us, really." Kooper explained. "We were planning on taking you out tonight when you fell asleep, but those random thieves pushed us to do it here. Then I improvised and spilt us up, making this all easier. As for how I knew you were a player, it was rather easy. Did you really think nobody noticed your little tricks when you returned to the room or on the basketball court? I know about your teleportation power."  
Koops still needed a plan, but he couldn't think with the overwhelming combination of emotions swirling within him. He could only stall.  
"Why them? Why do Toad and Bow have to die?"  
Kooper's gaze fell to the floor. "We couldn't risk any witnesses. Bombette and I agreed that we would achieve our dream, no matter who or what stands in our way."  
Koops could sense that now was his chance. He used his power to teleport to the door. He ran out and slammed it behind him, running for his life. Kooper wasn't far behind.  
"Koops, please just make this easier on the both of us!" he called after him. "I don't want to do this anymore than you want it to happen, but we both know that sooner or later you will die. Just end it now before you suffer anymore."  
Koops' eyes stung from the wind blowing into them. Tears streamed down his face. He couldn't believe it. His friend was going to kill him. Everything was falling apart.  
_'Just keep running.'_ his mind urged him. _'Don't think, just keep running.'_  
Koops found himself in a room full of large metal crates. He dove behind one and hid, waiting for Kooper to enter.  
A few moments later, Kooper came in. He was still holding the sledgehammer, but his face showed that he was reluctant to use it.  
To Koops' surprise, Kooper lifted one of the crates with one hand. It must have weighed hundreds of pounds, but he held it as if he were holding a cardboard box.  
"Let's just get this over with Koops. Just come out and I'll make it as painless as I can."  
As Kooper passed by, Koops stealthily crept behind another box. Moments later, Kooper threw the crate he had just hidden behind over his shoulder.  
"Where are you?" he growled.  
Koops pulled his head back behind the crate as Kooper turned around. He felt his heart racing even faster than before.  
Suddenly, he felt something tap his shoulder. He nearly screamed, but a hand clamped over his mouth. He was shocked at who he saw.  
It was the Boo girl from Peach's party. She was still as snowy white as he remembered and was still wearing her orange and black headphones, but something seemed different about her. Koops was able to pinpoint that it was her left eye. There seemed to be a tattoo on her eye, similar to an Egyptian hieroglyph of an eye.  
The girl smiled slyly and lifted a finger to her lips. Then she turned to the crate they were behind and stared at it. Koops wondered what she was doing. Obviously, she had to be a player as well, but what was her power? And why was she here? And more importantly, why was she helping him?  
She signaled for him to follow her closely, but to stay quiet. He crawled behind another crate just as Kooper checked behind the one they had previously hidden behind. It occurred to Koops that, instead of staring at the crate, perhaps she had been staring through it.  
Once she had looked through the next box they were behind, she handed Koops an object. He was shocked to see that she had given him a pocket knife. He looked up at her and shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to kill Kooper. He just couldn't.  
She smirked and shook her head, clearly expecting him to. He was about to protest, but she jumped out from behind the crate and drew Kooper's attention.  
"Hey! Looking for another player?"  
Koops peeked around the side to see Kooper whirl around. He scowled at her. "Who are you?"  
The Boo smirked triumphantly, looking awfully confident even though she was unarmed and making herself a target. "My name is Cheryl, and I'm a player in the Game, just like you. I can use my mark of the All Seeing Eye to look through objects."  
"Interesting, but why are you telling me this? You're unarmed and vulnerable, and you just revealed your power. What are you doing here anyway?"  
Koops caught the glance that Cheryl threw his way. She wanted him to end Kooper. Now.  
"Oh, I just thought you wanted another playmate is all. It seemed like you lost your previous one, so I thought I'd step in and take his place."  
Koops began creeping behind a row of other crates so he could get behind Kooper. He didn't want to have to kill him, but he remembered the Fugitive's words, something about a zone where the players could force someone into and keep them alive.  
"Well, alright then." he heard Kooper say. "I don't know how you got here or why you're so stupid, but I suppose I'd have to face you sooner or later anyways. This will bring me one step closer to my dream."  
Koops stepped out from behind the crate, now directly behind Kooper. All he had to do was knock him out.  
Kooper began approaching Cheryl, lifting the sledgehammer up onto his shoulder. However, he stopped. Koops froze as well, noticing the mirror propped against the wall in front of him.  
With a yell, Kooper whirled around, swinging the hammer in a great arc towards Koops' head. He ducked under the blow, and time seemed to slow down. His plan had failed. He couldn't fight Kooper and knock him unconscious like this. Kooper would easily be able to win in hand-to-hand combat, and he doubted that Cheryl would actually go so far as to risk her own life to save him. Did this mean...that he had to kill him...?  
Koops' hand seemed to follow it's own command, jabbing upwards and lodging the knife into Kooper's throat. Koops didn't think. He only acted.  
Koops heard a disturbing choking sound and saw the first few streams of blood pouring down his friends' neck and down his hand, but his vision was soon blinded by tears. He himself felt as if his heart had been pierced. He had just been forced to kill his own friend.  
_'When someone's trying to kill you, nothing else matters but survival. Instinct just kicks in. What I'm trying to say is, even though I know it would be wrong, I guess I would fight back.'_ Koopie's words came flowing back to him, and he realized what she had meant. Subconsciously, he had valued his existence over Kooper's. For that reason, he fought back, and killed him.  
Koops let go of the knife as Kooper fell to the ground, lifeless. He stumbled backwards and curled into a fetal position, sobbing into his hands. He had just killed someone. He had just killed his friend. He loathed this Game, loathed what it made him commit. He didn't want to be a part of it. But he couldn't escape it. Especially not now.  
"Nice work." Cheryl nodded at Kooper's corpse. "I suppose I was right about you."  
Koops wanted nothing more than to be left alone, to tear himself apart over what he had just done. But he looked up at her, hating how calm and proud she looked. He tried to hold his tears back as well as he could. "What do you mean?"  
She smirked and bent down so she was eye-level with him. "I've been watching you, ever since I saw you at Peach's party. I saw your stealth skills, and I knew that you would be the perfect person to team up with in this Game."  
Koops was extremely confused, and creeped out. She had been stalking him that night?  
"That's impossible. How would you have possibly known that I was going to be a player?" Koops asked. "The Game hadn't even been announced yet!"  
Cheryl kept her smirk, her catlike eyes shining in a cunning manner. "I don't need to explain now, but let's just say that I knew this Game was coming for a long time. For years I've prepared, and now it's time to put my plans to action. They involve you. You bear the Mark of the Thief, don't you? Yes, I know your power. I know all of the other players' powers as well, although I don't know who they all are yet. I have eyes and ears everywhere, so it won't be long before I identify them, though. However, I don't have the kind of skills you have to eliminate our enemies. But that doesn't mean I can't have someone killed if I wanted it badly enough. So, you see, I can be your best friend...or your worst enemy."  
Koops was shaking, but he tried not to show it. Was she proposing an alliance, or threatening him? Maybe both.  
Koops swallowed hard, then said, "So you think we should work together?"  
She nodded.  
"And if I refuse?"  
"Then I can kill you right now and save us both a lot of trouble."  
"What do you see in me, though? I obviously couldn't defend myself back there. How could I help you?"  
"It's true that you aren't much use to me now, but with a bit of training, you will be. This Game isn't all about pure strength. It requires tactics, the ability to outsmart your opponent, and most of all, the ability to be affected by outside forces like the law as little as possible. I can train you to become a deadly assassin, one who can both take out our enemies quickly and efficiently while keeping yourself to the shadows, unseen and undetectable. As long as you do as I say, I guarantee you will be powerful enough to survive, both against the efforts of our enemies and the influence of non-players."  
Koops didn't like the sound of what she was saying. Him? An assassin?  
"I-I couldn't do that. Nobody like me could be an...an assassin..." The word felt foreign to him. He couldn't imagine himself that way.  
Cheryl smiled deviously. "Oh, you have no idea. You have the natural skills for it. You're silent and quick, and you naturally keep to the background. Also, with your power, you could easily fit the position. You're perfect. With just a bit of training, you'd be unstoppable."  
By now, Cheryl had a lustful look in her eyes. She was trying to tempt Koops, but she didn't have to. Koops already knew he was backed into a corner. If he refused, she would surely kill him. If he accepted, his entire life would change. He would have to become her accomplice in murder, her assassin. Every shred of morality and all of his principles would be forgotten. He would have to kill, or be killed.  
Involuntarily, he glanced at Kooper's body. No. He didn't want to have to kill anyone ever again. Whether it was a friend or foe, he never wanted to take another life.  
_'Its kill or be killed.'_ a voice said in the back of his mind. _'If you truly want to survive, you have to take some lives.'_  
Koops closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering her. "Fine. I'll join you."  
Cheryl smiled at him and helped him up. "Excellent. Our alliance begins now." She stretched out her hand, and, after a moment's hesitation, he shook it.  
Koops heard a wail from behind him and he whirled around to see Bombette standing there. She dropped a bloody diving knife and ran to Kooper's body.  
"B-Bombette..." he whispered. He had nearly forgotten about her, but now that she was there, he realized what an awful position he was in. He started to walk towards her, but stopped. There was no way he could comfort her. After all, he had just killed Kooper.  
She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Our dr-dream w-will never come tr-true now...because of you..."  
Her words tore his heart in two. He wanted to apologize, wanted to bring Kooper back, wanted to do something that could revert things back to normal. But he couldn't. What was done was done. And he knew there was no one to blame but him, the person who ultimately chose to end his life.  
Bombette stood up and backed away from him, all the way to the edge of the building. As if she had read his mind, she said, "He never wanted to p-play this G-Game, you know...I pushed him t-to...so I guess I'm also to blame..." With one last tearful look, she said, "Good bye, and good luck."  
She fell backwards and disappeared off the edge.  
Koops couldn't move. He couldn't speak. His legs gave out from beneath him and he fell to his knees, tears being the only reaction he could muster. His brain felt numb and his heart ached.  
"It's not your fault." Cheryl said from behind him, not very sincerely. "You had to kill him. You had no choice."  
Choice. Choice, choice, choice. Did he really have any choice? He thought he had. He thought that if things had gone just a bit differently, he would have been able to choose a different path, not killed Kooper. But did he really have any sort of choice anymore? He wasn't able to choose if he wanted to participate in the Game. He really didn't have a choice in joining Cheryl's alliance. He felt like a chain was wrapped around his neck, pulling him in one direction, a direction that only led to death and despair. Could he really change something, anything, for better or for worse now? Could he really now have a choice in his chaotic, flipped world?  
"Dammit, I hear police sirens. We need to get out of here. I'll take you back to our headquarters, but I'll have to put you to sleep first. I can't let you know where our base is, just in case you get any traitorous thoughts." Cheryl's voice registered in his brain, but Koops barely heard her. Even before she placed a strange smelling cloth over his nose, he already felt himself fading away from the world, becoming enveloped in darkness.  
_'Everything's falling apart.'_ he thought before falling unconscious.


	5. The Exiled

**Sorry for such a late update, but it was mainly due to some technical problems with my computer. I had this chapter finished for a while, so it was just a matter of uploading it, but, as I said, my computer was being a bit of a jerk and causing problems for me. Well, without further delay, here's chapter 5!**

**Death is but a Game****  
**

"Well, I suppose I was correct in choosing you. You are an interesting specimen."  
Koops found himself on the platform in the strange void he had been in a while ago, but he had no idea how he had gotten there. The other platforms were empty, and the Fugitive was staring at him from the central platform, curiosity in his eyes.  
"H...huh?" was all he managed to utter.  
The Fugitive smiled at his confusion. "I've had my eye on you for a while, and I knew that you would be an interesting player for this Game. However, you are truly piquing my curiosity. I wonder how you felt after your first kill, the first kill in the Game, in fact. Just how will you go about winning this Game? You seem like you don't want to play, but I can sense a locked potential somewhere within your very core, an essence that is fueled by the desire to achieve your goals, no matter what crimes or sins you must commit."  
Koops felt a twinge of anger at his words. "You're wrong. I'm not like that. There's no way I would ever become some kind of killer."  
"We'll have to see about that. Just know that all choices have consequences. And that I'll be keeping a close eye on you. A VERY close eye on you."

7Z7Z7Z7

The first thing Koops noticed when he awoke was a strange, musty smell assaulting his nostrils. The second was that there was a strange figure standing over him.  
"Gah!" he screamed, scrambling to back away from the person. "Wh-who are you? Where am I?"  
Koops was very confused, seeing as how the last thing he remembered was passing out at the construction site.  
Now, he found himself in a small, chilly room. The main source of light was coming from a lantern hanging above the fourposter bed he was lying on, the sheets torn and one of the posts missing completely. The rest of the room didn't look too good either. The carpet was stained with a reddish color that Koops feared was blood. The curtains over the single window across from his bed had slashes in them, causing sunlight to seep through. The wooden bedside table had cracks and was completely missing the drawer.  
"Good morning, Your Eminence." the person said. She appeared to be a Toad, clothed completely in a long, dark red robe, the shoulders and two vertical stripes that stretched from the neck, down the chest, and finally to the feet colored charcoal black. She was wearing a pure silver mask with two thin, black slits for the eyes.  
"Who are you?" he asked again.  
The Toad placed her right palm over her heart and bowed. "My name is Elise, Your Eminence, but I believe we already met at the construction site yesterday."  
"Wait...you were that Toad who was chasing me and Kooper?"  
At the sound of his friend's name, he felt his heart ache. The image of Kooper's pained, shocked face, a knife lodged in his throat, appeared in his mind's eye.  
"Indeed, however, I was not in uniform."  
"Uniform?"  
Elise gestured to her outfit. "These are the robes of the Exiled. In order to remain inconspicuous, I did not wear them on my mission. You see, I was tasked by Her Eminence, Lady Cheryl, to recruit you yesterday, by force if I had to. However, it seemed things turned out differently."  
"How do you know Cheryl? And...what are the Exiled?"  
"Lady Cheryl is the head of our religious organization, the Exiled. We worship the Fugitive, the One who Watches from Afar. We know about The Impending Demise, and the Game that precedes it. You, along with our honorable leader, have been chosen to participate in the Game. It is our duty as the followers of the Fugitive to assist you in this trial."  
Koops was processing everything she was saying, trying to make sense of everything. Cheryl was the leader of a cult? She didn't look like one. Although, it would explain what she meant about having eyes and ears everywhere. "Wait, you mean you're only helping the two of us?"  
She shook her head. "Three. You have another ally as well. He bears the mark of the Demon."  
Koops' mind was spinning at the mention of a new ally. There was somebody else in their coalition? What kind of player were they?  
"Why only us three?"  
"The scriptures tell of The Three High Candidates, the ones who bear the marks of the All seeing Eye, the Thief, and the Demon. These three are prophesied to make an alliance under the name of the Fugitive and reach the end of the Game. The Exiled must serve under them, helping them achieve victory so that they will save this world from destruction. No matter which of the three prevails in the end, the prophecies proclaim that the world shall be saved."  
This was a lot for the Koopa to wrap his head around. He wasn't sure what to think about the Exiled, or the other strange things Elise had said.  
He scratched his head thoughtfully as Elise strode to the other end of the room. She pulled the curtains apart, allowing more light into the room.  
Koops shielded his eyes from the sudden brightness. "Where is Cheryl, anyways? I have some questions for her."  
Elise took the lantern from its position and pinched the small flame out between two gloved fingers. "Her Eminence is downstairs having breakfast with the bearer of the mark of the Demon. It might be best if you'd join them. Can I be of further assistance, Your Eminence?"  
There was a brief pause before he responded due to the fact that he wasn't used to having someone address him by a title. He stuttered, "Uh, n-no, I'm fine, thanks."  
Elise nodded and made her way to the door. With a final bow, she exited, leaving Koops to ponder over the information she had given him.  
After a minute of thought, he stood up and exited the room as well, unanswered questions still buzzing in his head.

7Z7Z7Z7

When Koops left his room, he was slightly surprised about his new surroundings.  
It seemed he had just descended from the attic of an old, rundown church. The place was in shambles. The windows were either shattered or closed up with boards. The stairs were missing their railings in most parts and a large chandelier was hanging threateningly over an altar, the long chain almost detached from the ceiling. From his position on a balcony overlooking the main hall, he could see a group of people dressed similarly to Elise standing next to a row of broken pews.  
"Rejoice, my brothers and sisters, for the Third has joined us." a Koopa from the group proclaimed. "Now that the Three are together, our true work begins."  
"Yes." a Goomba agreed with a nod of her head. "The Three will save us from destruction."  
One person made a small humming sound and the first speaker turned to him. "What is it, brother Martin? You seem troubled."  
He shook his head. "It's just...I'm a bit doubtful of the Second. He seems...different than what we had expected. He is timid and clearly has no intention of eliminating our enemies. Is he really capable of reaching the end?"  
The Koopa poked a finger at the Shy Guy's chest. "Bite your tongue! You dare question the abilities of His Eminence!? He will save us! You'll see!"  
The Shy Guy quickly nodded his head, obviously scared behind his mask. "Y-yes, of course! I didn't mean any disrespect, brother. I was just wondering, was all."  
"Well don't. You need not let your thoughts run rampant. Just trust in the Three and the Fugitive. They will guide us up the Holy Stairwell so that we may ascend to the Realm of the Fugitive. They will save their starving children from the plagued world, you'll see."  
"Yes, my brother."  
Koops quietly crept down the steps, hoping to pass by the group unnoticed. He felt uncomfortable just thinking about speaking with those Exiled. Nevertheless, they spotted him.  
Immediately, they all kneeled and bowed their heads. "Your Eminence, it is an honor to be in your presence." The Koopa said reverently. "May I ask how your rest was?"  
Koops rubbed the back of his head, not sure if he should tell them to rise or not. "U-um, it was all right..."  
"Excellent, Your Eminence. It gladdens me to know that. If there is anything else you require that can make you more comfortable here, please, do not hesitate to ask."  
"Uh, yeah, thanks. Actually, I was wondering where, um, Che-er, the other Two were. And, um, y-you can rise..."  
The Koopa and the other Exiled rose. He nodded at Koops. "Yes, of course, Your Eminence." Then he turned to the Shy Guy, no doubt narrowing his eyes behind his mask. "Brother Martin would be honored to escort you to the kitchen, where the other High Candidates are dining. It would do wonders for his faith."  
Martin nodded hastily and bowed to Koops. "Y-yes, of course! It would be an honor." Martin gestured down a hallway and said, "Right this way, Your Eminence."  
Koops followed him, eager to get away from the zealots who had reverted to kneeling to him as he exited. After a few turns through halls that were equal in damage to the previous room, Martin finally opened a door for Koops, bowing his head as he walked through. Koops turned back to thank him, but Martin was already scurrying back the way he'd come, obviously frightened about being punished for offending Koops in some way.  
"Well, look who's finally here. A bit too late, though. We're already finished with breakfast."  
Koops spotted Cheryl sitting at a rectangular wooden table, grinning slyly at him, her eyes perpetually shining in a way he still couldn't completely trust. Sitting at the other end of the table was somebody he hadn't expected to see.  
It was Luigi, dressed in his usual attire. He looked like he really didn't want to be there and kept glancing at Cheryl suspiciously, as if he suspected her to pull out a knife and attack him with it. There were shadows under his eyes, as if he hadn't gotten any sleep recently.  
Noticing Koops' attention had shifted to Luigi, she held out a hand towards him in introduction. "Koops, I'm sure you and Luigi are at least a little bit acquainted with one another, but now I expect you to be like brothers. He's our new ally."  
"I already have a brother, and he's not a killer." Luigi said venomously, refusing to look at Koops.  
Koops was a bit taken aback by this, and he felt anger bubble within him. There was no doubt the green clad man was referring to his recent murder. But did he think he had wanted to kill Kooper? He hadn't had a choice! Or had he..?  
Cheryl only smiled happily and waved his comment off. "Yeah, yeah, we all know about your big brother. How could we not? Anyways, that's not the point. The point is that we get right to our little meeting. You boys can start your male bonding or whatever later."  
"Meeting? What are we discussing?" Koops asked, pulling up a chair near the middle of the table. He didn't trust Cheryl enough to sit by her, and from Luigi's tone of voice, he doubted he would want Koops anywhere near him.  
"Well, we got a lot on the agenda. First, I'm sure you guys have tons of questions for me, so we can have a little Q and A. Then, we need to go over our next plan of action. After that, you guys are dismissed to your respective assignments."  
Koops and Luigi nodded, eager to ask their questions.  
"All right then, ask away!" Cheryl said, grinning and leaning forward, her head resting on her hands.  
"What exactly are the Exiled to you?" Luigi asked. "I can see it in your eyes. You don't really believe in all of that stuff, do you?"  
Cheryl raised an eyebrow. "Ooh, you're good. Yeah, you're right. All that stuff is just a bunch of crap to me. The reason that I started this whole cult was so that our little alliance could have some minions to support it, people who would do whatever we would say and not question why. They're pretty handy and so cute spouting their nonsense of the world being saved, am I right? They're like puppies or something!"  
"Why did you tell them that the world would be saved?" Koops asked. "We both know that's a lie. The Fugitive himself said we couldn't wish for something like that."  
Cheryl sighed and rolled her eyes as if it were obvious. "People need motivation, Koops. Plus, if I told them they were all gonna die whether we win or not, I have a feeling they wouldn't be as inclined to help out. Oh, but I expect you guys not to tell them about that. It would break their little hearts."  
"So you don't care for the Exiled at all?" Luigi asked.  
"Well of course I do! If we don't have them, my whole plan falls apart. They're important pieces in this Game. But they're not valuable. They're like pawns while we're kings."  
"So in other words, you view them as expendable."  
"Exactly."  
Koops didn't like the way she was talking about the Exiled. They were people too, and they deserved to be treated as such, not like slaves or pets. "That's not right. They look up to you. You should treat them with more respect."  
"Oh come on, Koops, you're too soft. We're the valuable pieces on the board, they aren't. They're just a bunch of hobos and homeless people. I gave them a purpose and something to believe in, and now they're happy. I think I've done enough for them, right? So they should repay my kindness, shouldn't they?"  
Koops looked away from her, liking her even less now. Luigi caught his eye for a moment, and he could see that they were a bit softer than what they had been like before, as if he appreciated Koops' sympathy for the Exiled. Then Luigi turned back to Cheryl. "When did you form this cult? It has to have been some time before the Game, correct? How exactly did you know to do such a thing, that something like the Game was coming? Just who, or what, exactly are you?"  
Cheryl's eyes narrowed more and her smile widened. "Yeah, I did form it a long time before the Game started. As for how I knew that it was gonna happen, I won't explain. A girl's gotta keep her secrets."  
She stuck her tongue out playfully, a gesture that aggravated Koops and Luigi even more. She was hiding something big, but she was purposefully keeping it from them.  
"So, why did you form this alliance with us anyways?" Luigi asked. "You seem so confident about winning, you prepared for this years in advance when your enemies were thrown into this without warning, and you seem to know everything while everyone else is left in the dark. Why form an alliance? And why with us specifically?"  
Koops nodded slightly, wondering about that as well.  
Cheryl was now much more serious, but the devious glint that was perpetually in her eyes didn't leave. "I may have known about this far in advance, and I may know a lot more than every other player, but that doesn't mean I'm capable of carrying everything out on my own. Or that I will win. It's anyone's Game, and with even the slightest slip up or smallest mistake, everything could come apart at the seams. I've spent years making sure that I would come out of all of this on top, but that doesn't mean that someone could take it away from me in an instant. Who knows, someone might get lucky or just be more clever than me, and the next thing you know, years' worth of preparation goes down the drain. In a Game like this, anyone can win. The only advantage I have is the knowledge I hold over the other players. That's where you guys come in. You can use your powers and positions to benefit me-benefit US-greatly, and I, in exchange, can provide us with the knowledge we need. It's win-win for all of us."  
Luigi rubbed his chin, contemplating hard. "I suppose you're right. In a way, we do need each other to survive."  
Cheryl nodded, pleased.  
"But for how long will this coalition last? Eventually, we will have to turn on each other."  
"You're right, but if we don't work together now, we'll never have a chance to even get to that point. The other players will chew us up if we're divided, but joining together means that we have a greater chance. So if we join together and get rid of our enemies, than we can split up after they're all dead and fight each other later."  
Luigi seemed like he wanted to protest, but gave up, apparently failing to find an argument. "Fine. But don't think this means that I'll kill for you. Remember our deal."  
"Huh?" Koops said.  
"When I...persuaded Luigi to join our alliance, one of our agreements was that he wouldn't do any killing. Instead, he'll help out by gathering information and assisting you on some missions, but it ultimately lies on you to take the lives of our enemies, so don't think you've gotten outta that." Cheryl explained.  
Koops looked down at the table, not wanting to be reminded of that.  
"Well, if that's all the questions you guys have got, I guess we'll move on."  
Koops was about to ask about the Servant's Quarters and if he could just bring people there instead of killing them, but Cheryl had already begun talking again.  
"I will be in charge of sending the Exiled out and about to gather info and see if we can find another player. Luigi, you will go back to your normal life until you're summoned back here. During that time, keep your eyes and ears open to see if you can find another player too, okay?"  
Luigi only nodded.  
Cheryl then turned to Koops. "Until we find the next player, you'll remain here and train. We need you to be ready to kill when we find our first target, and considering what a wuss you are, that'll take some time."  
"Wh-what?! Why do I have to stay here!" Koops yelled as the other two rose from their seats.  
"'Cuz, if Luigi, the less-famous-but still-pretty-famous brother of the great Mario were to go missing, it'd be all over the news. Both the cops and other players would be hunting us like hounds. However, a nobody like you wouldn't raise too much suspicion. The only thing we really need to worry about with you is that incident from yesterday."  
_'And Koopie.'_ Oh Grambi. Koopie. The sudden remembrance of his girlfriend sent his heart racing. She was probably so worried about him.  
"C-can I at least go out for a while?" he asked meekly, already knowing the answer.  
"No. You have to stay here and train. If anybody catches you leaving, I have ordered them to detain you and keep you here. And if 'I'catch you leaving, I have orders to personally kick your ass so hard that you'll be sure to think twice about pulling another stunt like that. Got it?"  
Koops nodded.  
"Good. Now go eat something and then report to the room on the right at the end of the hall. That's where you'll go train."  
With that, Cheryl left the room.  
Luigi walked over to Koops, his expression not as harsh as before, but still a bit hard. "So, I heard you were the one to kill the first victim of this Game."  
Koops nodded his head sadly, knowing there was no use in lying or trying to defend himself. "Yeah..."  
"Who was it, out of curiosity?"  
"My friend, Kooper. I didn't want to do it, but...I did. In the end, it was my choice to kill him. I felt like I had to, but really, I didn't. I could have let him kill me, or tried to figure out some non-lethal way to take him down, but I ended up killing him anyways..."  
Koops was surprised to hear sympathy in Luigi's voice. "I'm sorry. That must have been really hard for you."  
Koops glanced up at the green clad man. "Y-yeah, it was..."  
Luigi sighed then suddenly smashed his fist onto the table, making Koops jump.  
"This goddamn Game..." he whispered, more to himself than Koops. "It's horrible, yet we play it anyways. And for what? A wish and an eternal existence in which to reflect on our sins, on all the people we had to throw in the grave just to reach that point? It's not worth it, if you ask me."  
"Than why are you here?" Koops asked, wondering the same thing about himself as well. "If the result of losing is better than winning, than why even play?"  
Luigi looked at Koops, a cold seriousness in his eyes. "Because I have something I need to protect. If I lose, I can't protect her. That's why I'm going to play to win, no matter what the cost. I may not have to like it, but I'm choosing to do it anyways. For her sake."  
Koops realized how similar he was to Luigi at that moment. He realized that his reason for surviving, for playing this Game, wasn't for his own life, but for Koopie's. He hadn't thought about his wish, but he now vowed that if he won the Game, than he would wish for Koopie to join him, to escape the death and destruction that would devour the world. His goal was realized. Now he just needed to achieve it, one way or another.  
Luigi sighed and took off his cap, scratching the top of his head. Koops noticed his black tattoo located near the top of his forehead, easily hidden underneath his cap. It pictured a winged monster protruding from the back of a hunched human figure.  
"Is that the mark of the Demon?" he asked, pointing at it.  
"Yeah." Luigi answered. "It allows me to possess other living beings for a little bit."  
Koops was astonished. If there was a power that powerful, could there mean that there were even deadlier powers owned by the other players?  
"Wow." Koops said. "That's pretty impressive compared to mine. All I can do is teleport short distances."  
"Hey, that's pretty cool!" Luigi admitted. "I'd say that's useful too!"  
The two chuckled and Luigi said, "Listen to us, acting like these powers are common, everyday things."  
"Yeah. While I don't really condone the Game, I do like the powers that come with it."  
The two shared another laugh. Luigi looked at Koops, his expression considerably more kinder and less hostile than when he had first seen him. "You're actually not a bad guy, Koops."  
"Huh?"  
"Well, when Cheryl told me that you were the person who killed the first player, I was expecting you to be like some sort of cold, heartless killer, a completely different person than who I saw at Peach's party. But you're just a normal guy who got put into a situation he didn't want to be in."  
"Oh, yeah." Koops said. "I guess..." Then he asked, "How did you meet Cheryl, anyways?"  
"Well, she sort of busted down my door along with some of the Exiled and demanded that I join her last night. I wasn't really happy about it, to say the least, but I didn't want to die either. So, that's how I'm here now. Speaking of being here, I actually have to get back to the regular world. I guess I'll be seeing you later. Once we find the next player."  
Koops nodded and waved to Luigi as he left the room.  
Before he left, Luigi looked back over his shoulder. "And Koops?" Koops looked at him. "Don't change who you are. Don't let this Game alter you. Stay just the way you are, okay?"  
Koops was a bit confused at his words, but had no time to ask exactly what he meant since he was out the door a moment later.  
Koops shrugged and sighed. He got up to find something to eat, his instincts telling him that whatever training he was going to be put through wouldn't allow him the luxury of another meal anytime soon.

**So, whatcha think so far? It seems Koops has a new ally, and a slew of minions to help him out. But anything can happen in this Game, so that could change, especially by your choices, which, by the way, should be coming up in a few chapters. So, who do you trust? Who do you think is in the Game? Please leave your speculations and comments in a review, and I hope to have the next chapter up soon!**


	6. Trained Killer?

**Hey, sorry for the long wait for this chapter, but I swear, I can explain. I had literally JUST finished the chapter and was making a minor correction when, suddenly, the whole thing got deleted before my eyes. I don't know HOW, but it did. So, I had to write the whole thing over again, which is why it took so long. But, don't worry. I have a little surprise at the end of this chapter as an apology for the long wait. (Actually, I had already planned to use it at this point, but oh well). Enjoy!**

**Death is but a Game**

When Koops walked into the training room, he found another member of the Exiled waiting for him. The room was simple and spacious, with various pieces of furniture placed around it in and a few training dummies made of straw and burlap sacks, vaguely resembling the shape of a human.  
"Welcome, Your Eminence." the Exiled bowed, and Koops recognized her by her voice. Elise. "We will be beginning your training, starting today."  
Koops nodded and rubbed his arm nervously. "What kind of training will this be, anyways?" He thought he had a pretty good idea, though.  
Elise handed Koops a knife that was long enough to be considered a short sword. She then began walking towards a cage covered with a cloth, talking as she went. "You will be training in the art of killing. You will be trained to be an effective assassin. But, in order for you to do so, you must eliminate your fear of taking a life."  
She then took the cloth off, revealing a rat inside. It scurried away into the corner of the cage as soon as the light hit it, frightened. Elise reached inside and plucked the rodent out, holding it so that only its head poked out from between her fists. It was thrashing about and squealing like mad, but to no avail.  
"We will start off small." the Toad said. "Kill this rat."  
Koops swallowed hard and raised the knife, then lowered it, then raised it again. Finally, he dropped his arms to his sides, sighing. "I...I don't think I can..."  
Elise only stared at him from behind the slits in her mask. "Rats spread diseases and misfortune wherever they roam. They steal and are the scourge of the Earth. Don't you think they deserve to be exterminated?"  
"But...it's a living being, too. Doesn't it have a right to live?"  
Elise said nothing, and Koops looked away, fearing he had done something wrong. Elise placed the rat back in the cage, and it scurried away from her hand, thankful for its release. Then Elise turned back to him and said, "Your Eminence, you cannot avoid this forever. At some point, you will have to kill someone."  
"I know, I know..."  
Sensing his discomfort, Elise put her hands behind her back and said, "However, I do know of a technique that could help you spare the lives of those who are not players in the Game, those who are involved only by a matter of circumstance, and who do not need to die."  
Koops looked up, interested. "Really?"  
She nodded and walked towards one of the training dummies. Then she wrapped her arms around its neck, grabbing her forearms with the opposite hands and pulling back and slightly up.  
"This is a hold that can effectively incapacitate your target and silence them. If performed correctly, the victim should be knocked unconscious within seconds. Now, please give it a try, Your Eminence."  
She stepped away from the dummy and Koops took her place. He wrapped his arms around it like she had and tried to recreate the technique she had showed him, and, after some slight alterations, Elise commended him for successfully performing the hold.  
"Remember though: you will still need to kill the other players in the Game. This technique is only to help you spare the lives of those who are not players and stand in your way, but you would rather wish to not kill." she reminded him.  
Koops nodded in understanding.  
After that, they went straight into the rest of his training. She showed him where to aim for when slashing or stabbing at an opponent, which organs he should try to puncture. Just practicing this left him with a sick feeling in his stomach.  
They practiced combat, as well, both in swordplay and in firearms.  
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?!" Koops gasped as he tried to block a strike from Elise's sword. It was all he could do to keep himself standing, but Elise didn't seem the slightest bit exhausted.  
"In case you ever slip up and find yourself in a confrontational situation, you must be prepared. Seeing as how the high class, older generation, and royal guards usually use swords in honor of keeping tradition alive, and how the police force and thugs often wield firearms, you must adapt to both styles of combat. You will likely run into members of both classes during your time in the Game." She gave a great swing and knocked the sword out of Koop's grasp, then shoved him down with her shoulder. Soon Koops found himself on the ground, staring at the tip of Elise's sword. "But by the way you're taking to your training thus far, your time shouldn't be too long."  
Koops scowled and stood up, ignoring Elise's offer to help him up. He rubbed his sore arm and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm just not used to this. Not everybody was prepared for this kind of thing well in advance like you guys were, okay?"  
Elise sighed and sheathed her sword. "Perhaps that is enough for today, then. You may go now. I ask that you please arrive here again tomorrow morning so that we may continue your training, Your Eminence."  
Koops left the room, his body aching from the psychical training and his head pounding from the metal portion. He headed straight for his room, not even bothering to acknowledge the multitude of Exiled who bowed before him in reverence as he passed by.  
When he reached his room, he collapsed onto the bed. He noticed how dark it was, the only light being the moonlight flowing through the window across from him.  
'Looks like I was training for longer than I thought.' Koops thought. He sighed as his stomach growled. He was starving, but was too tired to even get up in search of food. His hunger could wait until tomorrow.  
For the following few days, Koops reported back to the training room in the morning, and then trudged back to his room, exhausted, at night, often times too tired to eat. He noticed that he was improving slightly, but he knew he still had a long way to go. Especially since he still hadn't been able to kill the rat, no matter how many times Elise tried to get him to.  
After what Koops estimated to be about a week or so (he had begun to lose track of the days), he walked into the training room to find Elise waiting for him with Cheryl.  
"Ah, there you are!" Cheryl said brightly. "Elise tells me you're doing well."  
"I guess so." Koops mumbled. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you or Luigi in days."  
Cheryl adjusted her headphones, and Koops noticed that she was tapping her hand against the table in a rhythmic fashion as if she was listening to music. He wondered why she was doing that, seeing as how the headphones were not connected to any type of music player, nor did they even have a cord to attach to anything.  
"You know, just doing a little recon." she replied casually. "We've found our next target. He's a Goomba by the name of Goombarry."  
Elise stepped forward. "He is absolute scum. A drug dealer, a pimp, and a dangerous criminal, he is the lowest of the low. It is your job to eliminate him. But, although I may have made him sound very threatening, he should not be too much of a problem. I'm sure you can take him out, Your Eminence."  
Koops processed this information. He knew this was coming, that he would be sent out to kill another person, but he hadn't been sure when exactly to expect it. Now he was being told to kill a criminal, and, while he didn't like the idea of it, he was a tad relieved. At least Cheryl hadn't told him he needed to kill a friend of his or a child or something.  
"Here's the plan:," Cheryl started. "Goombarry believes that there's gonna be a deal going on in an alley down by Mushroom Boulevard in the shadier part of town. You'll follow him by the rooftops and, when you see him go into the alley, follow him there and take him out. Also, you should be wary in case he has any guards with him. He was told to go alone, but he may have a goon on an adjacent roof backing him up."  
"When does this take place?" Koops sighed.  
"Today. Get ready, we're leaving in twenty minutes."  
Koops' jaw dropped and he stammered, trying to tell her that he was unprepared. However, Cheryl only pushed passed him.  
On her way out the door, she told him, "You'd better not screw this up, either. If you do, there'll be hell to pay."

7Z7Z7Z7

"Okay, we're here. You can take it off now."  
Koops reached behind his head to untie the blindfold that had been placed on him. Apparently, Cheryl didn't trust him completely, either, and had commanded that he be blinded as they left the church.  
He looked out some black tinted car windows to see that they were in the rough section of the city. There was graffiti, litter, and run down buildings everywhere. The few people who walked around looked ready to fight at any second.  
"Do I have to do this?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.  
"Yep. Now, get outta the car." Cheryl commanded.  
He sighed and exited the vehicle, and it immediately drove away. Koops gulped, fearing that he had just made a terrible mistake in coming here.  
"Koops? Koops, do you read me?"  
Koops remembered the earpiece that Cheryl had given him before they left, in order to stay in constant communication, and he responded, "Y-yeah, I hear you."  
"What's wrong? Your voice sounds a little shaky. You scared?"  
"N-no, I'm not! Well...m-maybe a little...I've never done something like this before, and, frankly, I don't want to!"  
"Don't worry, it'll be over before you know it. Just do exactly as I say, and you should be fine. Now, find an alley nearby and go in. Then teleport up to the roof."  
Koops looked around him and spotted an alleyway about a block behind him. He made his way towards it, trying his best to ignore the stares people gave him as he passed by.  
Once he entered it, he looked up and imagined himself up by the edge of the roof. He was transported directly to the space in front of the ledge, and he quickly grabbed hold of it in order to prevent himself from plummeting back down and breaking his legs.  
After he pulled himself up, he heard Cheryl say, "Okay, now keep going forward by way of rooftop. Keep an eye out for anyone else up there, and I'll keep an eye on Goombarry. He's already left the building, and he's about three blocks ahead of you, so I'd suggest picking up the pace a bit."  
Koops made his way forward, teleporting from rooftop to rooftop when necessary. He made sure to keep his eyes peeled for anyone up on the roofs. When he spotted a Toad with a rifle pointed down into an alley, he froze and ducked out of cover.  
"Cheryl, there's someone else up here with a gun. Wh-what do I do?" he whimpered.  
When Cheryl replied, she sounded annoyed. "What do you think you do? Kill 'em!"  
Koops took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. Despite what Cheryl had ordered him to do, he had no intention of killing this man unless absolutely necessary. He teleported behind the Toad, and, after a moment's hesitation, wrapped his arms around his throat, performing the choke hold that Elise had taught him.  
Although he struggled, the man could barely utter a sound, and within seconds, he was on the floor, unconscious.  
Koops sighed in relief, still shaking. He was glad he had been able eliminate the threat non-lethally.  
Koops peered over the side, spotting a Goomba in an alley below, most likely Goombarry, the person the Toad had been covering. He was speaking on a cellphone, and Koops could hear his conversation.  
"...so like I said, I don't care if that bitch has two kids to take care of, you beat the money out of her, or I'll beat the piss outta you! ...Yeah, that's what I thought. ...What? Vinnie? Oh, no, don't get me started on that bastard. That crack head cheated me outta a good deal, and now he's refusing to pay his loans! So, you tell Vinnie that if he don't get the money to me by tonight, they'll find him sleeping in a dumpster tomorrow!..."  
Koops retrieved the knife from his pocket and teleported down behind the Goomba.  
He took a silent, deep breath, and brought the knife up.  
Then, he stopped. He pondered if he should really kill this man or not. He was scum, a horrible person. But did he really deserve to die?  
However, he was also a player in the Game. If he didn't kill Goombarry now, he would likely kill Koops later on. There was always the option of bringing him to the Servant's Quarters, but did he really deserve the mercy when another player, a child, a parent, someone innocent, could have been dragged into the Game as well and be more deserving of one of the three slots?  
Koops shook his head, clearing these thoughts from his head. He vowed there and then to choose what he believed was the right thing to do. He wouldn't be forced off of his own path, and he would stick with it, wherever it may lead him.  
Koops had made his decision.

**[KILL HIM]******

**[SPARE HIM]**

**Yes, the first interactive choice portion of this fic! Sorry I hadn't put one in sooner, but I just wanted to establish the base of this story and such before branching off onto different paths. So, please leave your vote in a review. Should Goombarry be killed, or spared? You decide! Also, I can't really start writing the next chapter until I get some votes in, so, the sooner the better! Thanks for reading, and please vote!**


	7. A New Target

**Death is but a Game**

Koops roughly grabbed Goombarry and, before the criminal could utter a word, he stabbed the knife through his head, the blade sinking into his skull with a sickening sound.

The Goomba died instantly, and Koops let him fall to the ground.

He backed away a bit, disgusted by what he had done, but also a bit satisfied. He had gotten rid of a blemish on the world, and increased the chances of his own survival. Holding the power of being able to change not only his own fate, but the fate of others, those who would have been suppressed by the evil Goomba, felt quite good.

He wiped the blood off of the knife and slid it back into his pocket. He gave one last sour look at the corpse, nodding to himself as if to justify his actions, and then contacted Cheryl again.

"Cheryl? It's done. Goombarry is dead."

"Really? Nice job! I really didn't think you could pull it off!"

"Gee, thanks..."

"Although, there's something I should probably tell you..."

Cheryl laughed nervously and Koops narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"That guy you just killed? Yeah, he wasn't actually a player. This was all just a test in order to see if your training had paid off and if you really could be an effective assassin."

Koops blanched. "What!?"

"B-but don't get the wrong idea! It's not like what you did was useless! That guy was total scum and he deserved to die. Think of it as an act of justice. Like you're a vigilante or something."

"Well, you could have told me he wasn't a player!"

"Would you really have been as willing to kill him if I told you that?"

Koops glanced at the body. "I...I don't know..."

"Anyways, we actually have found our next target. We'll be there to pick you up in a minute, then we'll head back to base. I'll brief you there."

Koops muttered an almost inaudible response. He leaned against the wall and shook his head. He couldn't feel regret or remorse. He promised himself that he wouldn't regret his decisions.

And, more importantly, this Game wouldn't allow him the luxury to keep to such morals.

7Z7Z7Z7

After Koops had hidden the body in a nearby dumpster, he heard the van that Cheryl had been in pull up outside the alley. He got in the car, and Cheryl congratulated him once more and started driving away. Apparently, he had gained enough of her trust to the point where he was no longer required to be unaware of where their base of operations was located.

Koops, however, wasn't looking out the window to memorize any landmarks or streets. Instead, he was inspecting his knife, pondering just whose blood would dirty it next.

_'I don't particularly like it,'_ he thought. _'But it's either me or them.'_

A half hour later, they stopped in front of the old church, and Cheryl and Koops entered it, the Boo babbling on and on about how he had improved significantly and how he should be proud.

Once they entered the kitchen again, Koops spotted Luigi sitting at the table.

Luigi smiled slightly at Koops and he returned it, genuinely glad to see him. He had feared that he would be alone with Cheryl, and, though she seemed to trust him, he still wasn't completely sure about her.

"Sit down." Cheryl commanded, and they all took the seats that they had been in the previous meeting.

Cheryl leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. "So, before we begin, how was your first mission, Koops? What was it like to kill that criminal?"

Koops looked away as Luigi fixed him with an almost disappointed stare. "I...I don't know..." Koops didn't feel particularly remorseful, but he felt a bit odd as well, like something in him had changed. "I don't really regret it, but...I don't feel the same..."

Cheryl sighed and rolled her eyes. "Geez, I hope you don't stay depressed like this. Whatever. Let's just get right to the meeting then, shall we?"

Luigi nodded and started speaking. "I was able to gather some information, and I believe I know the identity of another player. Toadette, a fr-I mean, a former friend of mine... She works as a nurse at a local hospital, and she's been acting more paranoid and strange as of late. More patients under her care are dying as well. It's very suspicious seeing as how she's an experienced nurse, but I've heard that she's been assigned with caring for those afflicted with the mysterious, incurable disease. That might explain some of the deaths, but not all of them. I don't want to believe it, but..."

His voice trailed off, and Cheryl picked up for him, sliding a picture across the table to Koops.

"This photograph was taken by one of our Exiled spies. If you look down at her leg..."

Koops inspected the photograph. It seemed to have been taken through a window, most likely from the branches of a tree. The window was ajar, and, judging by the way Toadette's dress appeared, wind had most likely blown in through the window. It was barely noticeable, but Koops could spot a small black mark on her leg, just by her ankle. It was hard to see, but there was a distinct shape to it, so it couldn't have been a mistake. It had to be a tattoo, the tattoo that marked one as a player and represented their unique power.

"So you're sure she's another player?" Koops asked, handing the photograph back.

Cheryl nodded. "Almost certain. Either way, she's extremely suspicious, and you'll need to check her out anyway. If she isn't a player, than we'll leave her alone, but if she is..."

She didn't need to finish the sentence. Koops knew what was expected of him by now, what his role in their alliance was.

"I understand. So, when do I leave?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. You'll infiltrate the hospital and sneak through the ventilation system. Spy on her and make sure that she really is a player, and if you confirm that she is, take her out. I'll leave the details up to you to iron out."

With that, Cheryl rose and left the room.

Luigi stared at Koops, an unreadable expression on his face. "So, you're going to kill Toadette?"

Koops wrung his hands, not exactly sure what to say. "Well, there's a possibility that she might not be a player. Maybe I won't have to." He almost cursed at how insincere he sounded.

Luigi sighed, standing up and searching through a cupboard. "I suppose. But I just don't get it. Toadette is a fantastic nurse and a very caring person. Why are so many of her patients dying? Could it be that...?" Luigi grabbed an apple from the cupboard and stared at it intensely, thinking hard.

"What?" Koops asked, curious.

"Maybe...maybe those people she had been assigned to take care of could have possibly found out about her power in one way or another. Of course, these powers are completely supernatural and impossible, so problems would arise if normal folk found out about them. Now, this is a bit morbid and totally uncharacteristic of her, but, just maybe, she's...she's killing them, making sure that they don't tell another soul."

Koops sweated slightly. A nurse killing her patients to keep a dark secret? He asked, "Are...are you sure? You said she was caring, and..."

Luigi shrugged, taking a bite out of the fruit. "I don't know, but it's the only plausible explanation. Maybe it's just a coincidence or something, but, when you think about it all, it sort of makes sense."

Koops could see the sadness in the green clad man's eyes, and he wanted to reassure him that his theory couldn't possibly be correct, that his friend wouldn't do something like that, and that she probably wasn't a player either. However, he couldn't muster the words to tell him.

"Koops..." Luigi started, but fell flat, unable to continue. He sighed and his gaze fell to the floor. "Just...just do what needs to be done, okay?"

Luigi then left the room, leaving a troubled Koops staring at his hands, wondering how things would turn out from here.

**Alright, that's it for now. Thanks for those who voted, and make sure to vote again in the future when the opportunity presents itself!**


	8. Midnight Alliance

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Death is but a Game**

"Koops..."

The Koopa rolled over in his sleep.

"Koops..."

Koops mumbled something irritatedly, and waved off the person trying to stir him.

"Koops!"

Finally, Koops sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "What, what, what already!?" he grumbled, yawning and scanning the room for the owner of the other voice.

It was still dark out, and the only light source was the moonlight streaming in through the window. It fell onto his bed, and illuminated him, but the other areas of the room were completely enveloped in shadow.

Suddenly, a figure thrust themselves out of the darkness and put their face very close to his.

"Did you know you drool in your sleep?" Rosalina asked him, cocking her head to the side.

Koops nearly screamed as he hastily backed away to the head of his bed. He fumbled to grab the knife on his bedside table, but couldn't find it.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Rosalina twirled the knife in her hand and then tossed it into the bedside table. She grinned warmly. "You really should take care not to leave yourself defenseless. These are dangerous times we live in, after all..."

Koops was dumbstruck, and he pointed at the woman, hating how much his hand was shaking. "Wh-what do you want? Why are you here? How did you find me?"

Rosalina turned away to look out the window, her hands behind her back. "Very well, I suppose we'll get right to the point, then. I'm sure you've probably guessed, but I'm a player in this Game as well. I know that you're a player, that you killed Kooper, another player, and that your power is teleportation of a limited distance."

Koops grit his teeth and reached for his knife, but Rosalina stopped him.

"There's no point reaching for that. Look up."

He did as she told him and was shocked to find a black, spider-like creature hanging above him. A single, red eye was staring him down, striking fear into his very core. A scorpion-like tail was protruding from its back, and it was pointed down at Koops' head.

"Wh-wh-what the hell is that thing!?"

She turned around and pointed to her right eye. There was a tattoo on it, and it was shaped like a wide open eye, with various shapes emanating from it.

"A creature created by my power." she explained. "This is the mark of the Dreamer's Eye. It's quite useful, as it allows me to create anything I desire."

'A power like that exists?' Koops thought, feeling a bead of sweat run down his neck.

"Surely you must be thinking that such a power is impossible to stand up against, yes? Well, you're right and wrong." she said. "The drawback is that I can only create things that I've dreamt about, and it's quite difficult to make yourself dream about something. However, this creature happened to show up in a dream of mine, so I've decided to make use of it. I've come here in peace, so I hope I won't have to order it to kill you."

Koops understood and took his hand off of the knife, frowning. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

Rosalina was now half covered in shadow. "I want to make a deal with you. You see, I have no intention of playing this Game. Instead, I've decided to put my power to better use. Now, listen, because I will only explain this once."

"The soul is a very fragile thing. It requires a body to house it, for without one, it will die. However, I've come up with a way to transfer souls to other bodies. The original body must be destroyed in order for this to take place, meaning that the person will 'die', but if the soul can be collected quickly after the victim's passing, it can be transferred into another body. I plan to collect the souls of the players of this Game and transfer them to other bodies."

"How do you think you'll be able to do this? I doubt The Fugitive would allow this to happen."

"The players will have technically died, so they will have lost the Game. He never made any specific rules about dead players and what could happen to them."

_'So, essentially, she found a loophole pertaining to the rule of bringing dead players back to life. But what's her motive?'_ Koops wondered. However, he couldn't ask Rosalina because she was still talking.

"I need you to help me with this. I know what your allies are forcing you to do, so you are my best bet to acquiring souls."

Rosalina held her hand out, and a small, white cube-like object appeared in her palm.

"This is the device I have designed to hold souls in. All you need to do is kill the victim, place the cube on or near their body, and the device will take care of the rest. It will immediately transport itself to me, and I will extract the soul. Sooner or later, it should return to you, and you'll repeat the process with your next victim."

"This device seems oddly specific for something you only dreamed about..."

Rosalina smiled slightly. "I said it was difficult to control one's dreams. Not impossible."

Koops sighed, still feeling uneasy with the monster staring him down above him. "Whatever. But why should I help you? What's in it for me?"

Rosalina tossed the cube onto Koops' bed and made another object appear in her hand, a small bubble of light. Koops was shocked to see the image in it. He could see Koopie Koo, sound asleep in her bed with no idea that she was being watched or that a terrible game of death was taking place.

"I'm not one to threaten people." Rosalina started. "In fact, I would rather help you for helping me. But, for various reasons, you're my only hope. Therefore, if I must, I could easily capture or even kill this girl. Or, if you willingly decide to help me, I could protect her."

Koops was now fuming in anger. He curled his hands into fists. "Protect her? From what?! She's not a part of this Game, and I don't want her to be! Leave her out of this!"

Rosalina stared at him calmly. "Please, hear me out. She may be in grave danger. Cheryl has her spies watching Koopie day and night, and if you make even a slight slip up, or if you give her one reason to distrust you, I'm sure she'll have your girlfriend killed. I could watch her as well, make sure that no harm befalls her. If I see anything go wrong, I could quickly neutralize the threat. Also, if other players discover your identity, they will most likely go after those you care about. She isn't safe. Unless she has my protection."

Koops cursed. Now that he thought about it, she was right. Koopie was in danger. Cheryl was still obviously a threat, despite her being his ally, and if he were ever to be recognized as a player to others, they would try to flush him out by attacking those he was close to.

Koops didn't like how he felt backed up into a corner again. This was the second time he was being forced to accept a deal he wasn't very satisfied with.

He cursed again, but sighed and fell back onto the old mattress, defeated. "Alright. I accept. Not like I have a choice, though..."

He felt an icy cold hand grasp his own and shake it, and Rosalina was smiling down at him. "Excellent. You can trust me, as long as you can prove that I can trust you. I know about your mission tomorrow, so you should try to use the device on Toadette. That is, if she is a player. Although, if it's impossible, than I understand. But please aim to collect as many souls as you can."

Koops nodded, but then asked, "How do you know all of this stuff, anyways? Why can't you do this yourself? And why do you need these souls?"

Rosalina's expression suddenly became cold and serious, and her hand gripped Koops' much too tightly. In a monotone voice, she answered, "I don't believe that is any of your business, and you are not required to know the answers to those questions."

Koops was shocked at the sudden change of attitude. She appeared more sinister, and he jerked his hand away from her's quickly.

Then, as if nothing happened, Rosalina was smiling gratefully at Koops again. "I believe we have a deal, then. I'll be keeping a close eye on you, and Koopie as well."

He nodded dumbly, still shaken over her sudden change.

Rosalina began to glow a slight blue, but Koops had one more question for her before she left.

"Wait, if you plan on surviving the Game, then that would mean that you would have to be the final contestant still alive, right?"

Rosalina grinned evilly, half of her face hidden in the darkness. "That won't be an issue. After all, I'm already dead."

Without another word, Rosalina disappeared, leaving a frightened Koops behind. He rubbed his arm, suddenly feeling very unsettled. She was already dead?

_'Perhaps that would explain why her hand felt unnaturally cold...'_ he thought. _'Perhaps she discovered that method of transferring souls by testing it on herself.'_

Koops shivered and shook his head, his weariness once again returning to him. He made sure to hide the cube in his hoodie pocket and made certain that the strange creature was no longer in his room. After yanking the knife out of the wood it had been sunk into, he collapsed onto his pillow and welcomed his drowsiness, holding the weapon close to him in case anyone else decided to pay him an unexpected visit.

* * *

**Now Koops is involved in a secret alliance while being in his alliance with Luigi and Cheryl. [sarcasm mode activated] That'll turn out great, right?**

**Anyways, please tell me what you think!**


	9. The REAL First Mission

**Death is but a Game**

* * *

Koops sighed as the same black car that had transported him during his last mission drove away from him again. The time had come for him to hunt and kill another person. He wasn't sure how he felt about it.

He looked up at the hospital before him, wondering what exactly he should do. Cheryl hadn't given him any specific orders, only to kill Toadette. It seemed that he could go about this in any manner he chose.

He decided to just walk through the front door first. Nobody knew of his intentions, so he wasn't in danger of causing any problems.

When he entered the lobby, a receptionist looked up and smiled at him.

"Hello!" she said. "Can I help you?"

"Um, yes." Koops said, not sure how to continue. He stuttered for a moment before a wild idea came to him.

"I really need to see a doctor." he said, a note of false anguish in his voice. "It's an emergency."

The woman looked at him skeptically. "You look fine to me."

"But, I...I've been feeling really sick. I've had...high fevers and, uh, stomach cramps."

The lady wasn't swayed. "Sir, we're rather busy here. Please take your jokes elsewhere."

"But I-" The receptionist gestured to the door and returned to her work. Defeated, Koops walked out, trying to concoct another plan as he did so.

He went to the side of the hospital and paced underneath a tree, staring at the wall before him. There were many windows leading to patients' rooms, and he wondered if Toadette was in any of them. He spotted a tree that was located near one of the second story windows. He teleported up into its branches, surprised at how quick he had begun to master his power.

He felt the branch dip slightly under his weight, and he quickly teleported to the window.

Koops peered inside, making sure everything was clear. The only occupant of the room was in their bed, fast asleep. Koops doubted that he would wake up soon.

The Koopa lifted the window and climbed inside. He remembered to shut it after him. 'Leave everything as it was before you were there.', a lesson he had learned from Elise.

He tiptoed his way to the door and, opening it ever so slightly, peered outside. Once he had made sure the coast was clear, he sped out and ducked into a janitor's closet. Again, just like last time, he made sure nobody was around and continued on his way.

It seemed unnecessary for him to sneak around since he hadn't done any real harm yet, but he was sure it was the best thing to do. He wanted to have very little, if no trace at all, to Toadette's death. If someone saw him during the mission, there was a greater chance that he would be a suspect. Stealth, he realized, proved to be a more tedious tactic, but a safer one as well.

He continued this strategy for several minutes, slowly, but steadily, making his way down many hallways, narrowly avoiding people while remaining unseen. He wasn't sure where Toadette was, so he just had to look everywhere. Not the most effective strategy, but it was all he had at the moment.

Koops crawled from one hiding place into a patients room and silently closed the door behind him. He crouch walked forward a few steps and peeked around the wall blocking the door from the view of someone who would be standing in the room. He was shocked at who he saw.

Lying in the bed, her head wrapped in bandages, was Bow. Her eyes were completely covered, and she was grasping the air beside her, reaching for something she couldn't see.

"Bow?" Koops said, walking out from his position. He doubted that this was any sort of trap, and he was genuinely worried about his friend.

"What? Who's there?" Bow asked, now reaching out in the direction his voice had come from.

"It's me, Koops." the Koopa said, gently grabbing her hand to let her know where he was.

"Koops?" she asked, disbelief in her voice. She threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his midsection. "Oh, thank God you're alright! They told me that everyone else had died when...that happened...They said you went missing." She turned her head up to him. "Where have you been!? Koopie came to visit me a while ago. She's worried sick about you!"

"It's not important where I've been." Koops quickly stated, trying to change the subject. "What happened to you? Why are you here?"

She leaned back, holding her head as if it was in immense pain. "I barely survived that incident, Koops. Bombette nearly killed me." She pointed at her covered eyes gravely. "She took my sight with that knife. I've been here recuperating since then, but it hasn't been easy. Every day I think I feel worse, and every day I can't stop thinking about that day, about what happened, about Toad..."

She started to sob, and Koops looked away, remembering his friend as well. He hadn't been positive if he had made it out of the ordeal, but Bow's comment gave him all the answer he needed.

"Koops, is it really worth it?"

He looked back at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Is it really worth living life with such pain. My friends have died. I don't know who to trust anymore, and I can't even see. Is it really worth enduring this pain when there will only be more to come?"

"Maybe not." Koops said, his gaze turning to the scenery outside the window. "But I know that I have to. I have to live so she can, too..."

"W-what...?"

He shook his head, forgetting she couldn't see it. "Never mind. I...I have to get going."

He made his way to the door. Bow flailed about wildly, desperately trying to cling to him, to hold him back. "What? No, please don't leave, Koops! Please, I need you here! Help me!"

Koops hated to do it, but he had no choice. He had a mission to complete. Also, there was no way he could help Bow now. His old life was dead, and there was no way he could return to it. Trying to fool himself otherwise would only hurt more in the end. Better to sever his ties sooner rather than later.

"Goodbye, Bow." he said and exited the room, ignoring her pleas for him to stay.

Koops sighed, wondering if he had made the right decision to leave the desperate Bow back there.

He shook his head, aiming to clear his thoughts.

'What's done is done.' he thought. 'There's nothing I can do now.'

For a brief moment, he pondered where he should go check next, but gasped when he heard voices approaching from one end of the hall.

He teleported behind a desk and tensed as the voices got closer. Soon they began to fade away, and Koops sighed, relieved.

However, he was soon panicked again as a nurse exited a room nearby, his position in full view. Before she could look up and spot him, he teleported behind her and into the room she had just left.

She walked on, unaware of his presence.

Koops looked into the room. It appeared to be a break room, and Koops quietly snuck further inside, only standing up and letting his guard down when he was sure there was nobody else inside.

He decided to check the tables, desks, and cabinets for anything that might help him find Toadette. Luckily, a sticky note attached to a microwave provided him with just the information he needed.

'Toadette,' it read. 'Doctor Wilson wants you to check in on the kid across the hall at 1:15. He says his condition is getting worse.'

Koops checked the wall clock in the room. 1:13. Perfect.

Koops put the note back and approached the door again.

He stopped when the doorknob turned. Wildly, he looked around for a hiding spot, and, with no other option, quickly teleported onto the cupboards on the wall.

He vaguely recognized the figure who walked in as Yoshi, one of the people who had been at Princess Peach's party. He found it odd that he was here. As far as Koops knew, he wasn't a doctor, nor did he look ill.

Yoshi began to search the room in an odd manner, as if he was trying to search for something important in a small amount of time.

Koops was interested, but remembered his mission. He turned to the door and teleported across the hall, hastily slipping into the room across from the break room.

Since the room was in the same format as all of the other patients' rooms, he peeked around the corner to see if the room was occupied.

He spied a small Toad child in the bed, staring out the window with a wistful expression on his face. He seemed very sick. His skin was deathly pale and his eyes were sunken. He had a horrible cough, and there were red stains near the corners of his lips, most likely from blood he had coughed up at some point. He often jerked his head in odd angles, his hands sort of clawing at the air when he did so, as if he couldn't control himself.

Koops noticed that the closet door was open and he teleported into it, pulling the door towards him, but leaving it slightly ajar so he could see out of the small crack that was left.

He waited for a while until he heard the door to the room open once more. He saw a Toad nurse with pink braids enter, and he recognized her as Toadette. His target.

"Hello, Brian!" she said cheerily to the child. "How are you feeling today?"

Brian smiled weakly at Toadette. "A-alright, I guess..."

She smiled at him, shaking his shoulder slightly. "Just hang in there, Brian. You're being very brave!"

She turned away and placed a kit she had brought with her on the table. She opened it and began to sort through the various instruments in her arsenal. Meanwhile, Brian spoke to her.

"Ms. Toadette? I have it, don't I? The sickness that doesn't have a cure? I must have caught it sometime while I was here at the hospital, huh?"

Toadette spoke with a sympathetic voice, but her face looked rather annoyed, as if she didn't want to be talking to him. "Oh, don't say that. You just have the flu, I'm sure. You'll be fine."

"Do ya really think so?" Brian asked hopefully. "Thanks, Ms. Toadette! And Ms. Toadette? I was wondering, could you show me that super power of yours again? Please?"

Toadette finally grabbed a syringe and moved back towards Brian. "Not right now, sweetie. Now, it's time for your shot. Hold still, okay?"

Toadette held the boy's arm and he grimaced as the needle slipped into his skin. Toadette pushed down on the end of the syringe, forcing a murky, light green liquid into Brian's body. Once she was done, she removed the syringe and grinned at Brian. "Good job, Brian! You did great!"

He smiled and lay back, his eyes half closed. "Thanks. You know, I didn't want to say anything, but I always seem to feel a bit worse after you give me those shots, Ms. Toadette."

Toadette was busy putting the syringe back in the kit, and she scowled at his comment. "Oh, uh, that's just the drug taking its effect, dear. Your body just isn't used to it yet, that's all. Now, I have to get going. Just push the button if you need anything."

Toadette grabbed her kit and rushed out of the room, leaving the child before he could even utter another word.

Koops wanted to leave and follow Toadette, but Brian was still awake. He seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes open, but Koops doubted that he could sneak by him until he fell unconscious.

Finally, after a few minutes, Brian's eyes closed and didn't open again. Koops gently pushed the door to the closet open and quietly stepped out.

He got out his knife and made for the door as quietly as he could, hoping to catch up with Toadette.

He heard a gasp to his right and turned to see Brian staring right at him. He must have opened his eyes again.

Koops saw the boy's eyes dart from him, to the knife, and back to him. Before he could even begin to explain, Brian was already leaning out of his bed, reaching for the red button on the wall to call the nurse to the fell out of bed, but hastily got to his feet. He stumbled as quickly as he could towards the button.

Koops panicked. If Brian called Toadette back, it wouldn't be good.

Koops realized that he couldn't teleport towards Brian, either. After using his power a multitude of times in a small amount of time, he found himself feeling a bit exhausted and incapable of teleporting again.

He glanced at the knife in his hand and suddenly realized that there were only two solutions.

* * *

**[THROW THE KNIFE AT BRIAN]**

**[LET HIM PRESS THE BUTTON]**

* * *

**Another choice for you readers! This one may be a toughie. Please send in your votes ASAP so I can get to writing the next chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	10. The Second Death

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the long hiatus. I was away at an oceanography camp for a couple of weeks, which is why I wasn't able to update for a while. But now I plan to keep up on my writing as much as I can so I can provide you all with the rest of this (hopefully) entertaining story. Anyways, special thanks to everyone who voted. Now let's start with the chapter!**

**Death is but a Game**

Koops grit his teeth and aimed, preparing to throw the weapon at Brian.

However, he hesitated. The poor child was suffering and he was just a kid. He didn't deserve to be wrapped up in all of this. Koops lowered the knife. He didn't have the heart to kill him.

Brian finally reached the button and slammed his hands against it. Koops wildly looked around, searching for a place to hide or to escape. He thought about breaking through the window, but he didn't like the idea of falling from such a height, and he worried that there might be a chance that Toadette could track him down from the broken window before he would be able to get very far.

He decided to hide in the closet again and lie in wait for her. Brian would of course tell her where he was hiding, but hopefully he would be able to jump out and strike her before she could strike him.

Koops dashed into the closet and fully closed it this time. He swore under his breath as Brian began to yell for help.

"Help! Help! There's a bad guy in here! Help!"

He soon heard the door to the room open and a concerned voice ask, "Brian, what's wrong? What happened?" It was Toadette.

Brian sounded terrified and exhausted, but he managed to huff, "Bad guy...bad guy..."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"C-closet..."

It grew silent, and Koops braced himself. He heard the sound of footsteps slowly advancing towards him. With each step, his heart beat faster and faster until he felt as if it would explode.

Finally, the door was flung open. He didn't have time to register who opened it. All he did was fling himself forward and stab his weapon into the body of the person before him.

He recoiled in shock when he realized Brian was at the other end of his blade. The kid coughed up blood, staring at the knife in his shoulder, terror in his eyes.

Koops pulled the knife out and backed away, letting the child fall to the floor, motionless. He felt numb, too shocked to even fully feel the horror of what he just did.

Toadette pointed at him, a triumphant grin plastered on her face. "Ha! I bet you weren't expecting that, were you? That's right, I'm not stupid enough to walk into your traps!"

Koops dropped his knife and fell against the wall to his back. He felt like there was a heavy weight on his body. What had he just done? Staring at Brian's lifeless body, he felt a wave of grief overcome him. He couldn't move as Toadette moved towards him, a syringe filled with the same substance that she had used on Brian in it.

She gripped his shoulder and aimed the tip of the syringe at his neck. Confidently, she smirked at him and asked, "Any last words?"

Do something. The command surged through his mind in an instant. There was nothing he could do for the child now. He had to focus on the present. Do something. Do something!

"What is that?" He looked at the green liquid in the syringe, his eyes crossing slightly since it was so close to his face.

Toadette smirked again. "This? It's only a dose of the incurable disease that's spread throughout the city like wildfire. Green Flu, they call it. I'm pretty sure this is the disease that The Fugitive released to end the world. I hear it's extremely painful and ravages one's body. With this amount, you'll be dead in no time!"

As she spoke, Koops tried to think of a way to escape. He still couldn't teleport away. The door was too far away, but the window was still an option. If he could just break free for a second, he could-wait, what was that? He could have sworn he saw the corpse of the Toad boy twitch. He watched it for another moment, and saw his arm move once more.

_'That's impossible.'_ he thought. _'I know he was dead. That's impossible.'_

Brian was clearly moving, though. As he watched, the child began to get up, and in a matter of seconds, he was back on his feet again. However, there was something different about him. He didn't grip his shoulder in pain. In fact, there didn't seem to be any expression of pain on his face. Instead, his teeth were bared, and he glowered at Toadette. Slowly, he began to stumble towards her. It almost looked like he was...hungry.

"So is that your only question? Are you ready to die now?...What? What are you looking at?"

Toadette spun around just in time to see Brian take a bite out of her neck.

Toadette shrieked and plunged the syringe into Brian. It didn't seem to have any effect, and Brian lunged at her again, pinning her to the wall and taking another chunk of her flesh. This time Toadette was powerless to fight back. Her arms flailed, her legs kicked, and her voice was so loud it seemed like it could wake the dead, but none of it could save her from the cannibalistic child.

Koops crawled away as far as he could from the scene, one hand over his mouth to keep him from puking.

The door flung open and he spun his head to see Yoshi standing in the doorway. He looked first at the bloody mess in one corner of the room, and then at Koops in the other, his eyes wide.

Koops panicked and glanced at the window. Yoshi saw this and reached out towards him, his voice imploring. "No, wait-!"

But he was too late. Koops had already flung himself through it. He felt small shards of glass pierce his skin, and the rush of air that passed by his ears seemed to deafen him. For a few moments, he felt weightless, but suddenly was overcome with pain as he struck the ground.

He forced himself to open his eyes. His leg was in extreme agony, and various other places were throbbing in pain, most likely from the broken glass.

_'Just move.'_ he thought. He had to leave the area. Soon there would be police moving in, and Yoshi would most likely come after him. He had to be a fellow player, and seeing that his opponent was weakened, he would be a fool not to move in for a quick and easy kill.

There was a line of bushes about fifteen feet away from him, and he slowly and agonizingly dragged himself towards it.

When he was finally hidden in it, he looked over himself. His front was covered in blood. He half hoped that it was and half hoped that it wasn't his own. He located a shard of glass stuck in his stomach, and he gripped the end of it. Carefully, he tried to remove it, but the pain was just too much, and he stopped. Panting and gritting his teeth, he grabbed it once more, counted to three, and yanked it out. He nearly screamed and thrashed about, but managed to suppress himself.

He threw the shard away and looked for another, dreading the pain that was sure to come, but was interrupted by the sound of screeching wheels.

He poked his head out of the bush to find the black van before him. The door flung open, and there was Cheryl, her face serious and her voice urgent.

"We saw what happened." she said. "Looks like you caused a lot of trouble. We gotta go. Now."

Two Exiled exited the van and ran towards him. He let them lift him up and carry him into the van. After he was secure in a seat, he heard Cheryl order the driver to step on it.

Koops felt himself on the verge of passing out. Even as blackness flooded his vision, he turned his head to the right, looking back at the window he had escaped from. Sure enough, he saw a green figure standing there. As the van drove away, his gaze followed it.

_'He knows that I'm a player._' Koops thought._ 'He knows, and he's going to kill me. He's going to find me and kill me.'_

Then everything went dark.

7Z7Z7Z7

When Koops awoke, he was back in his bed at the hideout. Moonlight flooded through the window.

_'I must have been out for hours.'_ Koops thought.

He tried sitting up, but he cringed at the pain he felt from trying to perform the action. He felt better than before he blacked out, but not by much.

"I wouldn't try doing that if I were you." a voice warned. "You still need to get some rest."

Koops turned his head to see Cheryl sitting by his bedside. She had his knife in her hand, and she was cleaning it with a rag.

"What happened while I was out?" Koops asked, trying his best to sit still. He didn't like the idea of being alone with her, defenseless.

Cheryl shrugged and held the knife up to the light. The lethal blade glinted in the light. "Not much. They got you all patched up, moved you into here, and made sure that there wasn't anyone who was onto us."

Koops thought of Yoshi when she said that. He wondered if he should warn Cheryl about him, but something made him hold back and keep quiet.

"Luigi was pretty worried." she continued. "He felt bad that you went in there all alone. Which is why he demanded that, on the next mission, we all go in together. I was fine with it, since I was planning on doing just that anyway. I hope you enjoyed this easy mission, 'cause our next is probably gonna be a hella lot harder."

"I wouldn't exactly describe it as being easy." Koops muttered, then asked, "Do you know who our next target is?"

Cheryl nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry about it right now. We need to let you rest for now, and we need time to plan our strategy."

Koops sighed in relief. He really wasn't ready to go back out there again. He didn't want to have to do something like that again, and, although he knew he would eventually have to continue this grim business, he was glad he had some time to rest.

"By the way, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Koops jumped as Cheryl plunged the knife into the bedside table. Her eyes were cold and she was glaring at him.

"Last night you were visited by a lovely lady, weren't you?" she said slowly. "Alone with a strange woman so late at night. And you have a girlfriend, don't you!? How scandalous!" She giggled to herself, but her eyes were still boring into his.

Koops froze. No. No, there was no way she could have known. How? How, how, how could she have known about his meeting with Rosalina? What would she do to him now?

He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Cheryl smiled and held a finger to his lips.

"Don't worry. I'll keep it a secret." Then her face became gravely serious, and her voice was laced with deadly warning. "But you should know that I really don't like secrets. If you think you can keep anymore from me, and I find out, I'll be much less willing to help you out."

He nodded weakly, and he noticed his heart racing incredibly fast. Cheryl smiled again and got up, making her way to the door. Before she left, she turned back to him, her smile still on her face. She pointed to her tattooed eye, the eye that held her supernatural power.

"Remember: I see all, and I'll be watching you."

**Wow, Cheryl is creepy, huh? Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please review!**


	11. Plan of Attack

**Hey, I'm back! Sorry for not updating in a while. I'll try my best to have less gaps in between my updates. Anyways, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Death is but a Game**

"Your Eminence, are you awake?"

The voice on the other end of his bedroom door jarred Koops awake.

Groggily, he answered, "Yeah, I'm up."

"Very good. Lady Cheryl has called you to meet with her in the dining hall. Whenever you are ready, Your Eminence."

Koops sighed as the sound of fading footsteps signaled the Exile's departure. Cheryl probably wanted to talk to him about the next mission.

'Geez, looks like I don't even get any time to rest...' he thought, standing up. 'I just got back from a mission that nearly cost me my life, and already she's sending me out again.'

Despite his complaints, Koops felt strangely refreshed. The pain from his injuries had dulled considerably, and he didn't feel hindered in the slightest.

Suddenly, the Koopa heard a scuttling noise from the other side of the room. He spun around to see the strange creature that had been with Rosalina when she had visited him earlier.

"Hello, Koops."

Rosalina's voice emanated from the creature, though it echoed and sounded distant.

"R-Rosalina? What are you...?"

"I'm just here to check up on you. I hear Cheryl has found out about our alliance."

Koops swallowed hard, remembering Cheryl's words the night before. "Y-yeah...so it seems. What do we do?"

"Well, she hasn't killed you yet. I guess that means that she still has use of you, or that she doesn't sense any immediate harm in our alliance. Perhaps both. Whatever the case, we must tread carefully. Do nothing else that would make her doubt your loyalty for even a moment. She seems to have some sort of fixation with you. So far you've been on her good side, but who knows how quickly that could change..."

"Yeah, I guess you're right...oh, also, I have some questions for you."

"Ask away."

"How's Koopie? She's okay, right?"

"Yes, she's safe. So far she's been in no danger. Do not fret. I'm keeping a close eye on her. If there was any danger, I would alert you of it immediately."

Koops sighed in relief. He didn't know what he'd do if she had been harmed. Or worse...

"She's been worried about you, though. I'm sure it must be painful for you to be apart from her, but let me assure you, it's for the best. I would recommend resisting any urges to see her."

"Yeah, I understand..." Koops sighed.

The spider-like monster rubbed two legs together, and Rosalina continued. "Also, I must express my gratitude for the soul you delivered the other day."

"Huh? I didn't-"

"Toadette. You were near her when she died, correct? That was enough to collect her soul. Yes, I would prefer that you collect the souls of the other participants if at all possible. They are such...interesting specimens..."

He didn't like the way she said 'specimens'.

"So, uh, I guess that's it. I gotta get going now, so..." Koops said, trying to end the conversation.

"Ah, yes. I will send my messenger later. When you have the details, please inform me of what plan you three will be following. Best of luck to you."

With that, the spider crawled under the bed.

Koops shivered. He must have been sleeping above that thing all night. Ugh...

With that pleasant thought in his mind, he left to go meet with his allies.

7Z7Z7Z7

Koops entered the kitchen to find Cheryl and Luigi hunched over a map on the table. Two Exiled stood behind them. They bowed to him as he entered, but resumed their rigid stance, still as statues soon after.

Silently, Koops took his seat, his allies making no move to acknowledge his presence.

"...so they'll have to sneak around the back, where there will be less witnesses." Cheryl said, moving her hand across the map.

"Are you sure we couldn't just disguise them and enter through the front?" Luigi suggested. "I could try to chain-possess my way through the rooms that are off limits. We wouldn't have to worry about-"

"Too risky. Too many guards and witnesses." the Boo interrupted. She then looked up. "Ah, Koops, glad you could join us. We were just going over the plan."

"Plan? Already? I hope this doesn't include me..." Koops groaned, though he expected as much.

Cheryl nodded. "Of course it does! You're a vital part of this plan! Now, Luigi, would you mind briefing him?"

Luigi nodded and turned to Koops. Koops was shocked by the look in the man's eyes. They were hard and piercing, as if he were extremely upset about something.

"The next player we've located is Wario. He runs a casino on the wealthier side of the city, a playground for the rich and famous called The Gleaming Garden. Apparently, our spies have heard that he's meeting with another player, most likely in order to establish an alliance. We don't know who they are, but this is an opportune chance to strike. We can take out two birds with one stone."

Luigi pointed at the map. "This is the building that we will be infiltrating, Carnation Casino. There will be four separate groups, each with their own jobs."

"Group one will consist of Cheryl and me. We will enter through the front door, posing as normal guests. We'll be in constant communication with the other groups, letting them know if there are any changes to the plan, or any other information. If all goes according to plan, we should be with Koops when the time comes to execute the two players."

"The second group will be a five man squad of Exiled, led by Elise." One of the Exiled stepped forward, and though Koops couldn't know for certain who was under the mask, he suspected it was Elise. "She'll lead the group around the back of the casino. There's an area with tropical vegetation back there. It's practically a jungle. They'll wait there until Koops gives them the signal to move forward. When Koops gives the signal, they'll move out and initiate their phase of the plan. There's a spot between two guard towers that serves as an emergency exit. It's also where trucks bringing in supplies make their deliveries, including a truck full of oil. There's a good chance that, if anything goes wrong or Wario suspects something, our targets might attempt to flee through this area. In case this happens, we'll block their escape with a fire wall. Once the Exiled reach the area, they'll pour the oil around the exit. If Wario does end up running, they'll set it ablaze, ensuring that he doesn't get away. But, in order for them to get there, we'll need to take one of the towers. Koops, that's where you come in. You'll teleport up the side of the east tower and sneak in, eliminating any guards once you're inside. Once you're done with that, shine a light towards west tower. You should receive a response from one of our inside guys over there. Once you see it, you'll move onto your next phase."

"This is where group three comes in. While you guys are doing that, group three will be down in the underside of the casino. Percy here will lead two others to the boiler room. Their job will be to overload the pressure in certain parts of the building. This will cause some pipes to burst and cause panic. The guards will be in a frenzy and unable to react. This is when we strike. But, in order to get there, you'll need to help them out, Koops. From the control room, you can open certain doors that they'll need to get through. Percy will walk you through everything. Just make sure to follow his directions 'exactly'."

Percy, the other Exiled, nodded at Koops. "Pleasure to be working with you, your Eminence." He hissed when he spoke, and Koops had a suspicion that the Koopa was glaring at him from under his mask.

"So, Koops, that means you and you alone are the sole member of group four." Luigi continued. "If you can manage to help the other two groups, then you'll meet up with Cheryl and I at the Yucatan Sector. That's where Wario's office is. And that's where we'll strike. Any questions?"

Koops was speechless. It seemed as if this whole plan was riding on him. If he slipped up, everything would come apart at the seams. How could he possibly do this?

Luigi nodded when he didn't receive an answer. "Very good. Alright then, that about wraps it up. We'll be striking tonight, so rest up today and get ready."

With that, the two Exiled bowed and exited the room.

Cheryl yawned and stretched. Cheerily, she said, "Well, that was long winded and confusing. But I hope you memorized all that, Koops. You carry a lot of weight on your shoulders. But don't worry. We're all in this together! You won't be alone this time."

Koops nodded, not sure if he felt reassured or not.

Cheryl rose from her seat and floated towards the exit. "Oh, BTW, I wanna see you later, Koops. Come to my room once your done talking with Luigi."

She left, and Koops turned to Luigi, who was staring after her, his brow furrowed.

"I don't know how she knew that I was waiting to talk to you. Damn, it's like she knows everything..."

There was a moment of silence, and Koops began to speak up.

"Um, Luigi...listen, about Toadette-"

Luigi raised his hand. "Save it. I know there wasn't anything you could do. What's done is done. You couldn't save her. But from what I hear, she didn't really deserve any mercy anyways. Now, let's talk about the future."

"Wario is a man of great wealth. I know that he's greedy and will do anything to get money. He only spends it on whatever benefits him. Yet...our spies have reported that he's been using most of his money lately to find a cure for the plague that has befallen the city. I'm not sure if it's true or not, but...well, I'm thinking that the world could use a cure like that before this disease gets too out of hand, before it becomes unstoppable. I think you know where I'm going with this."

Koops nodded. "You want me to spare Wario."

"Yeah. If we can spare him, we might just be able to put his money to use. We could use him and his wealth to save millions of lives."

Koops rested his head on his hand, thinking hard. Considering the obstacles they were already up against, it would be hard enough just to kill Wario, let alone capture him alive. But Luigi did have a good point.

"I...I'll think about it, Luigi."

Luigi smiled warmly and patted Koops on the shoulder. "Thanks. I know it may be difficult, but it could really help out."

Luigi got up to leave, but stopped at the door.

"...Hey, Koops. About that kid, the one from the hospital...you killed him, right...?"

Koops swallowed hard. He felt sweat run down the back of his neck. "...I won't deny it. I did. But I swear, I didn't mean to. The reason things went so bad in the first place was because I tried not to. Luigi, I swear..."

Koops stopped when his voice cracked. He realized that his eyes were watering up.

Luigi turned to face him, a sympathetic grin on his face. "I believe you."

7Z7Z7Z7

Koops took a deep breath in front of the door. It was his first time being alone with Cheryl in her room. He shuddered, thinking about what kind of horrible torture equipment or macabre decorations could be awaiting him inside...

He thought about turning back, but decided against it. Cheryl would probably just be pissed off later. Besides, if she really did want to kill him, she would have done it already. Right...?

Koops knocked, and after hearing the Boo call, "Come in.", he entered.

It was definitely different than what he had expected.

It was rather...pink. Pink curtains, pink rug, pink wallpaper, pink bed, pink table. It seemed more like a type of decor Princess Peach would choose rather than Cheryl.

"Ah, hello Koops!" Cheryl grinned. She was sitting at the table, a wine bottle beside her. She poured two glasses as he took a seat across from her. "Fancy some wine?"

Koops smiled sheepishly. "Uh, sorry, I don't drink alcohol."

"Heh, yeah, neither do I." she said and casually tossed the bottle over her shoulder, not even showing an ounce of concern when it shattered against the wall. "Now, onto business matters."

Koops felt a bit hesitant. Well, even more hesitant. Cheryl was certainly...spontaneous, and he didn't like the idea of being alone with her.

_'Calm down.'_ he thought to himself. _'She hasn't killed you yet. She needs you. Besides, all she's done is help you. Maybe you could afford to put a little more trust in her.'_

"Let's talk about Wario." Cheryl began. "I'm sure I know what Luigi told you. Something about him helping people, and how you should save him, and blahblahblahblahblah. Well, I'm here to convince you that we do need to kill him."

"Do you know what type of scum Wario is? Greedy and selfish, above all of his other faults. Why do you think he's trying to make a cure, hm? Obviously, it's for himself, in case he ever becomes infected. He wouldn't share such a treasure with the public. And if he did, he would sell it at an unbelievable price, a price nobody, not even the wealthiest people could ever pay. Personally, I don't really blame him, but still, is 'that' the kind of guy you want to save? A guy who would choose only to save himself when the option to save others is open to him as well? To Wario, it's all for one, and the greedy bastard sure as hell plans to keep it all to himself."

Koops thought hard about it, and realized that Cheryl did bring up a good point. Why should he save someone as selfish as Wario?

Then again, if he did kill Wario, there would be no way to fund the research for the cure. His money would die with him since it would be under his control, under his name, along with the private research for the cure he had been conducting. They wouldn't be able to use it without him.

Would the cure even work? Even if it was created, would it even really cure those who were infected? Would there even be a possibility of truly finding a cure for this disease, this Green Flu?

So many options, so much to think about...

"You might be right..." Koops muttered. "I'll think about what you said."

Cheryl nodded and smiled, her eyes gleaming. "Thanks, Koopsy. I knew I could count on you!"

Koops left the room, and Cheryl instantly lost her cheerful expression. She raised her still full wine glass and turned it upside down.

"Such a waste that he didn't drink this. It's damn good wine..."

**Ooh, new target! And a new choice for Koops. What do you think so far? Please review!**


	12. Ambush

**Death is but a Game**

"How's the cure coming along?"

"Oh, um...well...w-we're still working on it, sir, so-"

Wario slammed his fist down on the table and growled, "Dammit, would you nerds hurry it up!? We don't have a lot of time, you know!"

The scientist on the other end of the screen jumped and nervously squeaked. "Y-yes, sir! We'll try our best to speed things up!"

Wario pressed a button on his remote and the screen went black, ending the transmission without bothering to chew the scientist out any further.

"Ugh, there's not much time..." he muttered, flipping a coin into the air.

Just as he did so, the door to his office opened, and somebody walked in.

Wario glanced towards the person and froze, and the coin did as well. It floated above his opened palm. He smirked when he recognized who it was.

"Well, well, well. Glad you could join me. I've been expecting you. Pull up a chair. Let's talk business..."

7Z7Z7Z7

Koops sighed, a bit disappointed that he was visiting such a luxurious place on such dangerous business.

The Gleaming Garden certainly earned its six star reputation. The magnificent buildings housing tons of options to waste time away in paradise were surrounded by beautiful, lush areas of vegetation, each location's theme varying from the next.

Currently, Koops was staring at the Carnation Casino from the jungle area that encircled it. It was huge and primarily golden. Flashing neon signs and bright lights adorned the building and the pathway leading to its front entrance.

_'This seems like the sort of place Koopie Koo might like.'_ he thought forlornly._ 'She always did enjoy the night life and its grand activities.'_

"We're in position. Awaiting your signal."

Koops nodded, listening to Elise's voice in the other end of his headset.

Looks like the plan was ready to be set in motion.

"Ok. Percy, are you ready?"

"Yeah, yeah, we're almost at the first door. We'd prefer if you could get to the tower and make this quick, though."

Koops was annoyed by the impatient tone Percy had, but he was right. They needed to move swiftly and work efficiently.

Koops stared up at the guard tower from the bushes he was hiding in. A guard was standing by the window, looking out onto the grounds, but he soon turned away.

_'Now's my chance.'_ Koops thought and dashed from his hiding place. He quickly teleported up to the window and smashed through.

The two guards in the tower spun at the noise, but before either could react, Koops leapt into action.

He snatched the gun from the one nearest to him and bashed him in the head with the butt of it, knocking him unconscious. Then he leapt at the second one and choked him out, using the technique that Elise had taught him.

He breathed a sigh of relief once the deed had been done. He was a bit worried that he would have screwed up, but it had proved to be easier than he had thought.

Koops walked towards the other window opposite the one he had entered from. It overlooked a large, dull looking area, similar to a parking lot. It was in the shape of a square, with large walls on each side except for one to his right, where delivery trucks must have entered from. There was one truck parked in the lot, right by a red door that was marked 'EXIT'.

Far across from him on the other wall was an identical guard tower.

Koops found a switch that controlled a spotlight on the side of the tower, and he flicked it up and down. The spotlight moved up and down as well, the signal to his undercover ally in the opposite tower.

Koops waited, watching the tower for any response. He tried again, but still saw nothing. Finally, after a few moments, he saw the opposite spotlight mirror what he had done, and he sighed in relief.

"We're in position. Ready whenever." Percy groaned into his communicator.

"Just in time, too." Koops responded, moving towards the table that was laid out with various controls and monitors. "Elise, you can move up. Percy, guide me through this."

Percy directed him as to which switches to flip and buttons to press. Koops found a few monitors that watched the area that Percy's group was going through, somewhere below the casino.

He also kept an eye on the lot. He could see Elise and the other Exiled moving towards the door and the truck. They were clearly exposed under the spotlights.

_'It's a good thing that we have both towers under control.'_ he thought to himself.

"Yo, Koops, how's it going?" Cheryl's voice cut in through his earpiece.

"Uh, fine, I think. So far everything is going according to plan. How's it going on your end?"

"Luigi and I have had a little change of plans. It's nothing that to worry about, though. We're just going to try to block two other escape routes we found that might be open to Wario. Although, this means that you'll have to confront Wario and his potential ally alone."

"W-what!? That wasn't part of the original plan!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but trust me, it's better this way, okay? Just go with it."

"Wha-but, Cheryl-"

"Hey, if you've got time to argue, you've got time to open this door for us."

Koops turned back to the monitor when Percy spoke up. "Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry about that."

"Just open it up. Should be the third lever from the left."

Koops pulled the lever and watched the giant metal door slide open on the security screen.

"Great. Now we've reached the boiler room. Just give us a few minutes to do our stuff."

"Alright." Koops turned his attention outside to where Elise and the others were spreading oil in front of the door.

_'It's strange.'_ he thought. _'This all seems...too easy...'_

"Ah, so you're all in position, huh?" a voice spoke in Koops' ear. "Great, great! Now it's time to launch my surprise!"

Suddenly, there was a loud screeching sound of metal sliding against metal. Koops watched as a fourth wall sprang out to fill in the gap of the lot, creating an enclosed square.

"What the hell!?" Koops gasped. "Hey! Who is this!?"

"Why, I'm Wario, of course!" the voice answered. "You know, the one you're intent on murdering tonight? I hate to spoil your plans, but I don't intend on dying anytime soon, so I'll just have to end your little mission right here and now."

The screeching noise began again, and Koops watched as the fourth wall began sliding towards the opposite wall. It was going to crush the Exiled trapped in the lot.

The Koopa watched as they scrambled to the exit door, but they couldn't force it open, no matter how hard they tried.

"Damn, this doesn't look good..." Elise swore.

"Shit! What's going on!? You trying to trap us in here!?"

Koops glanced at the monitor to the boiler room and found the door sliding shut. Percy and the other Exiled ran towards it, uselessly banging their fists on it.

"Koops!" Percy yelled into his ear. "I don't know how this bastard's doing this, but you gotta open this damn door! It's getting hot as hell down here!"

Koops tried pulling the lever, but it did nothing.

"I-it's not working!" he panicked.

"Not the damn lever, you idiot! You gotta hack the circuitry!"

"Koops! Please help us!" Elise called.

Koops looked outside. The wall was steadily getting closer.

Koops looked around the room, searching for something, anything he could use to help them.

'Emergency Fire Hose', he saw written on a bright red coil on one wall.

_'I could lower that out the window and help pull them in here with that.' _he thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by a hissing sound from the monitor.

"Shit, this steam burns! Help us out, dammit!" Percy screamed.

Koops stared at the controls. 'I could try to hack the door open.'

"Hahaha! Seems like you're friends are in trouble, huh, Koops?" Wario laughed. "Just what will you do, I wonder.

Koops froze, looking between the hose and the controls.

"Help us! The wall's getting closer!"

"This..." Wario chuckled.

"Hack the damn door already! We can't take this heat much longer!"

"...or that. Make your choice!"

[SAVE ELISE]

[SAVE PERCY]


	13. Temporary Truce

**Death is but a Game**

Koops' head swung back and forth, desperately trying to decide on an option.

"Screw it..." he growled and ran towards the fire hose. He unraveled it and tossed one end out the window.

"Hey!" he called to the trapped Exiled. "Over here!"

He saw them turn to him and they instantly sprinted to the tower. When they reached the hose, they latched on and climbed up, just in time to escape their grisly fate.

"Your Eminence...thank you..." Elise gasped between breaths.

"Koops, we got a problem!"

Koops spoke into his headset, "Yeah, we got some of our own over here, too, Luigi."

"The guards are attacking us. Somehow they knew we were coming!"

"I'll bet it was our inside man." Elise said, looking over her team to make sure everybody was accounted for. "He must have betrayed us."

"Dammit." Koops swore. "What do we do now?"

"I think we should go right after Wario." Cheryl cut in. "He should still be in his office. But not for long."

"I understand. I'll head there now." Koops said and sprinted out of the room.

Elise turned her attention to a computer monitor. There was a thick cloud of steam covering the screen, but it was quickly clearing away.

"Oh, my..." she whispered, staring at the black cloaked bodies lying still on the floor.

7Z7Z7Z7

Koops ducked as a guard swung a nightstick at his head. He countered with a punch to his stomach, which instantly downed him. He quickly followed up by attacking the guard behind him with a swift kick to the head.

Before he could continue on his way however, another guard charged at him from behind a pillar, pistol raised. Koops flinched, unprepared for the attack.

Suddenly the guard groaned in pain, and fell forward face first to the ground, a knife stuck through his back. Confused, Koops stared at the body for a moment, before a familiar figure suddenly appeared. Literally, appeared. One moment, there was empty air. The next, Yoshi had materialized. Koops raised his knife, shocked, but still ready to fight.

Yoshi raised his hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa! I'm not here to kill you! Please, lower your weapon!"

Koops hesitated. Yoshi sounded sincere. But could he trust him?

"Why are you here? You're another player, aren't you?" Koops took a step forward, his knife still raised.

Yoshi stepped backwards, still acting defensively. "Yes, I am another player. But I don't want to kill you, Koops. In fact, I'm here to help. We're both after the same target, aren't we? Why don't we take down Wario together?"

"Why? So you can stab me in the back after he's dead?"

"No, Koops. Listen, I've teamed up with a couple other players, and we all agree that it would be best to have you on our side."

"Are you proposing an alliance?"

"Yes, I am."

"Who are the other players?" Koops realized he was coming across as rather rude while Yoshi, still defenseless, was speaking in a calm manner. The Koopa lowered his weapon slightly.

Yoshi exhaled and shook his head. "I can't tell you Koops. You know, at least not until you've joined us..."

"I won't trust you until you've told me." Koops knew he held the power in this situation, and he planned to use it. "Just one name, is all I ask."

Yoshi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine, fine. One name. Peach. She's one of the members."

Peach? That was certainly a surprise to Koops.

"Now, how about it?" Yoshi asked, extending his hand. "Will you join us? You'd fare better with us than by yourself."

Koops thought hard. He was already in two alliances. Could he really handle a third secret alliance? No, probably not. Yoshi's alliance seemed to include at least a few players. If he joined, he would certainly have to leave Cheryl's alliance at least. Rosalina's alliance could probably be kept secret, though.

But could he trust Yoshi? He seemed sincere enough, but what about his other teammates? Maybe he was better off with Cheryl...

...another person he still didn't completely trust.

"I'll...I'll think about it..." Koops said slowly. "I just don't think I can trust you right now, is all."

Yoshi smiled. "Fair enough, I guess. Well, how about I prove it to you? We'll team up and kill Wario, and if we succeed, you can join us. Deal?"

Koops stared at him. "I'll agree to teaming up for now, but you'll have to really convince me of joining you."

Yoshi chuckled. "Alright then. Well, let's get moving, shall we?"

7Z7Z7Z7

They hadn't gone too far when Koops heard a voice buzz in his ear.

"Koops, are you almost there?" It was Cheryl.

_'Dammit, not now...'_ he thought, glancing over at Yoshi running beside him.

"Koops, respond."

_'Not now. He'll know I'm in another alliance and then...'_

"Koops, answer me!"

_'Shut up, shut up, shut up! Why now?'_

"Fine, then. Have fun with your new little friend. I can see where your loyalties lie."

Koops froze, and Yoshi stopped too.

"What's wrong, Koops?"

"Are you going to trust him?" Cheryl asked. "Are you going to abandon me, the person who saved you when you were ignorant and hopeless?"

Koops was shaking. How could she know? How did she know where he was? Could she see him right now?

"I'll let you decide if this is the right choice or not." Before she left him alone, he could have sworn he heard her mutter, "I swear, I should have poisoned him when I had the chance..."

Koops' mind was racing, and his head was throbbing from the stress of indecision.

"Koops, what's wrong? Come on, we gotta get moving!"

Yoshi's voice dragged him back to reality, and Koops said, "R-right, sorry. Let's go."

7Z7Z7Z7

"Dammit, where are all of the guards?" Wario shouted, banging his fist on the table.

"It seems that your enemy's allies are keeping them preoccupied." His guest said. "They're proving to provide little resistance."

Wario sighed and leaned back in his large chair. "They're your enemies, too, Jolene."

The female Toad adjusted her glasses and said calmly, "Technically, yes. However, I'm not their true target tonight. They came for your head specifically. We are not truly allies yet, so they're primarily your problem."

Wario opened his desk drawer and removed two items. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. But when they come barging in here, don't expect them to ignore you all together."

"I know. But at least I've prepared an escape plan for this kind of situation."

"So have I." Wario chuckled. "But mine isn't a cowardly tactic."

It was then that Jolene noticed the items Wario had laid in the table. A revolver and a deck of cards.

"What...are those for?" she asked slowly.

Wario grinned. "For a game that we'll be playing soon. It's a gambling game, of course. And it's the greatest gamble a man could ever make: a gamble between life and death."


End file.
